It is illegal to discriminate against someone based on his or her national origin. You are protected against unlawful housing discrimination on the basis of your national origin—that is, your country of birth– or the national origin or country of birth of your ancestors. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, national origin discrimination can be based either upon the country of an individual’s birth or where his or her ancestors originated. Similar terms might include “culture,” “nationality,” “ethnic group,” or “ancestry.”
If you are denied an opportunity to buy, rent, finance or insure a home or apartment—or given false information by a housing provider—because of your national origin, you are a victim of illegal housing discrimination. It is also illegal for landlords or other housing providers to treat an existing tenant or resident differently because of their national origin.
If you believe you were discriminated against because of your national origin, file a complaint.