The Social Security Administration has formally endorsed a presidential memorandum issued by President Donald Trump titled “Preventing Illegal Aliens from Receiving Social Security Act Benefits.” The directive outlines a series of actions intended to strengthen benefit eligibility enforcement and prevent fraud within the SSA system.
SSA Will Tighten Oversight of Social Security Benefits
Acting Commissioner Leland Dudek confirmed the agency’s commitment to implementing the measures. “We are committed to ensuring that benefits are paid only to those who should receive them,” Dudek said. The SSA oversees monthly benefits for more than 70 million Americans through three key programs:
- Old-Age and Survivors Insurance (OASI): $1.3 trillion annually to 59 million people
- Disability Insurance (DI): $157 billion annually to over 8 million recipients
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI): $56 billion annually to 7.4 million low-income individuals
These programs are governed by strict eligibility rules, including lawful presence requirements for noncitizens.
Key Actions Directed by Trump’s Memorandum
The memorandum instructs the SSA to implement several enforcement strategies aimed at improving program integrity:
- Expand fraud prosecutor programs to increase accountability
- Investigate suspicious records, including individuals over 100 years old with conflicting data
- Consider reinstating civil monetary penalties for fraudulent claims
- Reinforce noncitizen eligibility verification to ensure only lawful recipients receive payments
The goal is to prevent any unauthorized access to Social Security benefits and safeguard taxpayer-funded programs.
Can Illegal Immigrants Get Social Security?
By law, undocumented immigrants are not eligible to receive Social Security benefits, including retirement, disability, or SSI. However, individuals must meet several criteria to qualify:
- Possess a valid Social Security number
- Have authorized work status
- Meet age and earnings history requirements
- For SSI, also meet income and asset thresholds
The directive reinforces existing law and calls for closer scrutiny of identity records, earnings reports, and benefit applications.
SSA’s Role in Broader Federal Benefit Programs
In addition to its core programs, the SSA supports Medicare, Medicaid, and other national benefit systems by providing essential identity and eligibility data. Ensuring accurate records is critical not only for Social Security, but also for preventing fraud across multiple federal and state programs.
For information on Social Security eligibility and how to apply, visit ssa.gov/benefits or ssa.gov/apply.
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