Prysma Lending Group has refused to comment following a report by The Daily Wire report revealing the company’s targeted marketing of mortgages to illegal aliens.
The Danbury, Conn.-based firm—which has issued over $1 billion in loans nationwide—did not respond to requests for comment from American Credit News, nor did its CEO and co-founder, Luiz Serva who also works as a music producer, mixing engineer and musician.
Mortgages have traditionally been off-limits to illegal aliens. However, Prysma specializes in financing through Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers (ITINs), which are issued by the IRS to individuals without Social Security numbers, including those without legal residency. In 2023, an estimated 5,000 to 6,000 mortgages were issued to ITIN holders.
Prysma’s marketing efforts specifically address illegal aliens, offering them home ownership pathways and even advice on avoiding deportation.
While Prysma says it aims to empower the Latino community, its materials and webinars show a clear focus on serving illegal aliens.
“Prysma has helped non-US citizen families in: Connecticut, Florida, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Texas,” Prysma’s website reads. “No Social Security or Green Card required.”
On its website, the company notes that legal status isn't required for home ownership and offers resources specifically for illegal aliens.
“You have a right to home ownership, regardless of legal status,” Prysma’s website reads.
The company’s webinars even include deportation-prevention advice.
The market Prysma is tapping into is a large one as millions of illegal aliens streamed into the country during the Biden administration.
On the campaign trail in 2024 President Donald Trump noted he would do away with loopholes that allow illegal aliens to procure home loans.
“We cannot ignore the impact that the flood of 21 million illegal aliens has had on driving up housing costs,” Trump said in a speech delivered at the Economic Club of New York.
However, Prysma’s approach skirts recent federal mortgage restrictions by avoiding government-backed loans.
Critics argue that such lending practices incentivize illegal immigration and undermine immigration enforcement.
Policy groups like the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) are calling on Congress to regulate or outright ban ITIN-based mortgage lending.
“Access to mortgages can serve as an incentive for illegal aliens to remain in the country, especially at a time when the goal of the government is convincing illegal aliens to leave,” Mehlman explained,” FAIR Media Director Ira Mehlman told The Daily Wire. “Congress could take many actions – from disclosure to outright prohibition – and set a national standard for states to follow.”
According to The Daily Wire, leaked emails suggest this has become a widespread business model in real estate finance.
In fact, some big names have benefited financially from giving mortgages to illegal aliens.
North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein, a Democrat, has been subjected to criticism over his past employment at Self-Help Credit Union (SHCU), which has received over $502 million in federal funding and similarly offers mortgages to illegal aliens.
In North Carolina, the SHCU and Latino Community Credit Union (LCCU) have drawn scrutiny similar to that of Prsyma.
Both institutions actively offer mortgages to illegal aliens and help clients obtain ITINs. They also provide financial assistance for DACA applications and citizenship fees—regardless of legal status—while receiving millions in federal funding.
According to a recent poll, nearly 90% of North Carolina voters believe illegal immigration has worsened life in the state.
Yet LCCU and SHCU have continued to expand their offerings to undocumented residents, mirroring the approach taken by Prysma and real estate developers like Texas-based Colony Ridge, which also target illegal aliens with housing deals.
Republican officials in North Carolina warn that documents used in mortgage applications—such as utility bills and tax IDs—could be misused for illegal voting.
The state GOP has sued the Board of Elections, alleging it failed to verify the identities of more than 225,000 voters. They argue that undocumented mortgage holders could exploit federal-only ballots, which require minimal ID verification and have drawn controversy in states like Arizona.
“Treating an illegal alien like he's a citizen—you yourself are aiding and abetting crime,” State Rep. George Cleveland told Old North News. “I don't care where you sit in the stratosphere of the government or business, you're abetting crime.”