Post falsely claims LA high-rise is 'illegal immigrant housing' | Fact check

An American flag flutters over the tents of homeless people living along a sidewalk in Los Angeles, California, U.S., June 24, 2024. REUTERS/Mike Blake

The claim: Video shows ‘illegal immigrant housing facility’

A June 20 Instagram post (direct link, archive link) shows images of a high-rise building, a bedroom, a fitness center and a conference room.

“New illegal immigrant housing facility costs $600,000 per unit,” text in the video states.

Start the day smarter. Get all the news you need in your inbox each morning.

The post received more than 100 likes in a week.

More from the Fact-Check Team: How we pick and research claims | Email newsletter | Facebook page

Our rating: False

The stated purpose of the building in the video is to provide housing for homeless people, not immigrants who live in the U.S. illegally, according to the nonprofit behind the project.

Weingart Center built to house Skid Row’s homeless people

The video shared on Instagram was first posted to X, formerly Twitter, on June 19 by KABC-TV in Los Angeles to mark the grand opening of a 19-story high-rise in the city’s Skid Row area, home to thousands of homeless people. The version posted to Instagram was cropped to remove the television station’s logo and the photo credit for the building’s construction firm.

But the post misleads about who will be occupying the building. Officials have said the purpose is to house people who are homeless, not serve as an “illegal immigrant housing facility,” as the post claims.

Fact check: No, 1996 immigration law doesn't grant voting rights to 'illegal immigrants'

City officials opened the taxpayer-funded $165 million Weingart Tower 1 on June 19 as the largest permanent support housing project for a city where homelessness is a critical issue. The 278-unit building is intended to serve as a shelter for the homeless residents of Skid Row, according to both multiple media reports and to descriptions of the property from the nonprofit Weingart Center, the group behind the project.

There is no credible evidence it is intended for people living in the U.S. illegally, as the post claims. No legitimate media outlets have reported that the building was designated to provide housing for that group.

It is unclear whether noncitizens will be allowed to live in the building. Weingart Center officials could not be reached for comment.

People applying to live there must provide documentation that includes proof and source of income, disability certification, photo ID and a Social Security card, according to a document that outlines the property's leasing details.

Noncitizens typically may only obtain Social Security numbers if they are authorized to work by the Department of Homeland Security, according to the Social Security Administration website and to agency spokesperson Nilsa Henriquez.

For example, asylum seekers may apply for permission to work if their asylum applications remain pending for more than six months – and they can’t request Social Security numbers until work authorization is granted, said Michelle Mittelstadt, director of communications and public affairs for the nonpartisan Migration Policy Institute.

“People who are in the U.S. illegally and who have not applied for asylum typically cannot get work authorization or an SSN unless they are eligible for some other kind of status like temporary protected status that permits applying for a work permit,” Mittelstadt said.

While the post correctly notes the average cost per unit is $600,000, its caption misleads by suggesting the project excludes former members of the military. It states in part, “Why do we spend our money on this when we could be spending our money helping veterans?” – a sentiment echoed by several commenters. But 40 of the building’s income-based units are reserved specifically for veterans, according to the Weingart Center website.

USA TODAY previously debunked false claims about immigration, including that people in the U.S. illegally must carry a passport to travel by air or land and that migrants can’t be arrested for illegally entering the country.

USA TODAY reached out to the Instagram user who shared the post but did not immediately receive responses from either.

Our fact-check sources:

Thank you for supporting our journalism. You can subscribe to our print edition, ad-free app or e-newspaper here.

USA TODAY is a verified signatory of the International Fact-Checking Network, which requires a demonstrated commitment to nonpartisanship, fairness and transparency. Our fact-check work is supported in part by a grant from Meta.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Post falsely claims LA high-rise is 'illegal immigrant housing' | Fact check