Social Security Statement on President Trump’s Memorandum, “Preventing Illegal Aliens from Obtaining Social Security Act Benefits”
Reading Time: 2 MinutesLast Updated: April 18, 2025
The Social Security Administration (SSA) yesterday expressed its full support for President Trump’s memorandum, “Preventing Illegal Aliens from Receiving Social Security Act Benefits.” This memorandum reinforces SSA’s commitment to safeguarding taxpayer dollars and ensuring the integrity of the programs it administers.
“The Social Security Administration is dedicated to protecting the vital benefits that American workers have earned on behalf of themselves and their families,” said Acting Commissioner Leland Dudek. “We are committed to working diligently to implement the President’s memorandum and to ensure that benefits are paid only to those who should receive them.”
The President’s memorandum directs SSA to take several key actions aimed at stopping illegal aliens and other ineligible people from obtaining benefits under the Social Security Act. They include:
- Expanding SSA’s fraud prosecutor programs;
- Investigating earnings reports of people 100 years old or older with mismatched records;
- Considering reinstatement of SSA’s civil monetary penalty program; and
- Reinforcing program integrity measures so that only noncitizens who meet all eligibility requirements can receive benefits.
SSA administers three essential programs under the Social Security Act that support the financial well-being of over 70 million individuals. The Old-Age and Survivors Insurance (OASI) program, established in 1935, provides retirement and survivors benefits, paying over $1.3 trillion in fiscal year (FY) 2024 to approximately 59 million beneficiaries monthly. The Disability Insurance (DI) program, established in 1956, offers benefits to disabled workers and their families, issuing about $157 billion in FY 2024 to over 8 million beneficiaries each month. The Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program, created in 1972, supports aged, blind, and disabled individuals with limited income, issuing around $56 billion in payments to 7.4 million recipients monthly, with some also receiving OASI or DI benefits. Additionally, the agency supports various national programs administered by other federal and state agencies including Medicare and Medicaid, among others.
For more information on SSA programs, including who is eligible and how to apply, visit Benefit types | SSA and Apply for Social Security Benefits | SSA.
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Tom B.
The press release does not mention, confirm or deny Trump’s claim that 275,000 illegal immigrants have been removed from the Social Security system. Is he making stuff up again? It must be a day with a “D” on the name.
Steve P.
The press release was from April
Karyl A.
non citizens except h\those with green cards do not get SS. It is a lie. In v=fact they pay $25BILLION into SS that they will need get unless they are naturalize citizens.
CHERYL
You are a liar! Those false numbers are wrong! They just started cooperating with kicking.the illegal.freeloaders off the dole! They were getting ssa benefits with no.legal ssn at all! Dont be so stupid!!
CHERYL
Youre an ignorant idiot! Im sure far more than that small number have been freeloading off our benefits!! Just like all the trillions of dollars in welfare, food stamps, and healthcare for all illegals that they doled out to them that they never earned nor deserved as federal immigration law breakers, public charges to taxpayers, and that came here illegally and think theyre.protected and supported happily by us fed up taxpayers! Biden did us no favors!! Senile criminal scumbag! Period!
Martin G.
Don’t need to get personal.
Martin G.
Don’t need to get personal.
veyegah
The memorandum raised significant legal, economic, and policy questions, especially regarding the eligibility of certain non-citizens for Social Security benefits. NJMCDirect
Joyce G.
FICA taxes fund Social Security and Medicare.. Every employee and employer pay 6.2 FICA tax for Social Security and 1.45 FICA tax for Medicare. Those taxes go into a trust fund and earn interest. FICA taxes are separate from the federal tax we pay. The Federal Government is not suppose to use FICA taxes to pay Federal Government expenses but our FICA taxes are being used to pay the national debt.The Federal Government do not contribute any money to Social Security but yet they borrow from the trust fund. This is why the trust fund doesn’t have a surplus.If you research who fund Social Security it will give a false negative. It will say Social Security and Medicare are the Federal Government largest expense but it’s not true . Both programs are funded by payroll taxes which are FICA taxes. We the people need to start a movement and keep track of everyone in Congress who voted against protecting Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and Snap.We then vote them out of office.This is the way we can control what is happening to us at the Federal level because Congress has the final say. Congress can protect Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and Snap. Congress can override any bill Trump veto
Dale K.
I agree, thank you Donald Trump for all you have done in spite of the conflict you have had to endure, God Bless you Son just keep fighting
Annie G.
Noncitizens receiving Social Security benefits is confusing. They did not pay into the system. Perhaps another program needs to be created using existing taxpayer funds to meet their needs. The amount of taxpayer money being misused is mind boggling. Once a spouse dies, IMMEDIATELY their Social Security check stops. An appointment is required to establish survivors identity prior to nicely worded explanation of how and why household monthly income is now reduced basically by the amount of lower Social Security check. Death does not lower mortgages, utilities, groceries etc. Both spouses worked hard to earn Social Security benefits. Surviving spouses should not have their income cut. Losing your spouse is traumatic enough without attached income loss. If noncitizens can receive benefits without having paid into the system, why aren’t citizens who worked hard paying into the system entitled to the amount both spouses earned after a death? Surviving spouses lose income and noncitizens gain income. Financial responsibilities do not decrease with loss of spouse, only Social Security income does. Please address the needs of surviving spouses.
As the first generation paying Medicare tax, we were told that paying the tax while working, upon retiring Medicare coverage would be free. We had paid for it during our working years…..
Tammy P.
I. Agree. That illegal should have never been able to get the money that my husband has worked hard all if his. Life an I truly b think that they messed up on his. Ssdi he was. Disabled and I done my. Best taking care of him until the day he died now just because I got widow benefits I’m now an have been having issues you. Know if I could work I would not be able to do the kind of work I use to now saying that I. Know that the president has not been in. Our corner cause he has money but I’m n ot. Able to pay. My. Bills an. Eat it’s not right the way they just ignore us
JaneJoe
I agree. We were in a fatal accident that unfortunately took my husband’s life. They told me I was not eligible to receive benefits from him but his surviving children would get a survivors check, 2 of those children being mine. I was badly injured as well in the accident and no longer get able to work. Social security also denied me for disability which I had to appeal. It’s been 4 years… not only did we loose a loved one but we also lost 2 financial incomes and eventually became homeless. But we have illegal immigrants living their best life off of hard earned money thar we worked so hard for…. meanwhile we’re over hear struggling to even get a bite to eat. How is that even fair????
Vegas23
Another commentor said we need to protect SS and to vote out those who would change it. SS is a horrible program that is unsustainable. Republicans have tried to reform it but dems lie and now we are stuck with the ponzi scheme that is SS. If you die, the $ you paid into SS all your life for 30+ years goes back into the Fund, NOT your heirs. You think that’s fair? Reps want to change it so the $ is invested for YOUR benefit and that your heirs get what’s left after you die. But dems will continue to lie lie lie and we’ll be stuck with SS forever until the gov finally runs out of YOUR $$. Dems fool people into thinking they’re helping the poor (and illegals) but what they are doing is taking YOUR $$ and giving it to someone else. Sounds good to the RECIPIENTS but not so much to those of us who are paying the taxes to fund the dems’ redistribution schemes. THINK before you vote for dems. The rich already pay far more than the rest of us in taxes. “Taxing the rich” even more only hurts us. The rich will move their assets & companies overseas to avoid paying even more. Then the rest of us get stuck with the tax burden. Ask Bernie Sanders or Nancy Pelosi or the bidens (and a few reps too) to give up a few of their mansions.
Also-if kamala had won, you would have seen your income tax go up several thousand $$ because she would have allowed the Trump tax cuts to expire, meaning most of us would be back in a higher tax bracket. Dems can lie all they want, but you’d be cursing them at tax time if they had won.
Tonda P.
I believe and understand what Annie’s G. Is saying. I don’t make much in ssi some were in 700.00. It’s very hard to pay my bills and food. I work all my life and I don’t get much. I also work for my husband for many years. And when I wanted to get medical. I was tolded that . Should they investigate that time of work. It was there on there paper. I was not happy. I can’t work of my neck. I have a disk and 2 boggling disk abo e and under the plate. I think it is wrong what the Government is doing to people. So unfair. 🙏
fritz l.
When will the social security fairness act be fully imposed. We are still waiting for our retroactive check from backpay since January 2024.
CHERYL
Oh puleese go ask your uncle biden!
quacy m.
this is right give no social security to immigrants, immigrations, aliens. and i have some at home like monty fortune a alien that need to be deported.. it will stop social security from running out. only give it to Americans. making all Americans first class
Isabel G.
I agree, the illegals that come to this country crossing the borders illegally or come to visit and stay and are over 65 should be able to receive ss benefits they have never worked in this country and should not be able to receive those benefits. I know several people that have been here for over 30 years and does not receive what the newcomers receive in benefits. It should be revoked or have them work for the 40 quarters like we all had to do to be eligible for social security benefits.
Lois G.
Huh?
Parrilee W.
Widows Pension
2 people pay in Social Security
1 Person dies
1 persons check sits there a life time government collects intrest from age 16 -80.
Why are we even penalized for drawing at age 60?
We only get to draw 76 0/0 of the spouse so why can’t we. Draw the other 24 0/0 of our own Social Security since. No one else will ever draw off the living spouse..
Why is it the Career center program that helps senior citizens get 7.50 hr. The regular employee vests 15-20 hr for doing the very same job? Senior Citizen Slavery
Nancy A.
What exactly does this “key action” mean:
“Reinforcing program integrity measures so that only noncitizens who meet all eligibility requirements can receive benefits.”
Why are “non-citizens” receiving payments from an American citizen-only program?????
Vegas23
I think it’s because the democrats are giving citizenship to the babies of illegal aliens born in the USA. Those babies are now elegible to receive SS benefits-which means the illegal parent(s) can get Medicaid and other benefits -all because their child(ren) were born on U.S. soil. The 14A was not meant to give citizenship to every child of an illegal who crosses the border & gives birth. It was meant to give citizenship to the children of slaves who had no citizenship of any country because the slaves were brought here against their will. The dems are fighting hard to protect every illegal alien in order to increase their base. They give DLs to illegals to allow them to get on the voting rolls (in blue States, if you get a DL you’re AUTOMATICALLY registered to vote!). It’s up to the illegal to NOT vote. The illegal is going to vote dem because it’s the dems that give them all the goodies and protect them from deportation.
John J.
President Donald J. Trump is brilliant. Our Social Security System should be LOCKED TIGHT to insure that our benefits do not go to ILLEGAL ALIEN, undocumented immigrants. Thank you President Trump and thanks to the DOGE program that will stop the abuse, fraud on liberal activist left wing nutcase activist loopholes that have siphoned off and stolen benefits that have been paid by and meant for American citizens and lawful residents of our great nation. Thank you for securing our Social Security Program. Thank you for stopping the FRAUD.
Elaine
He is Hitler only worse . Killing off the elderly and disabled in a sinister and evil way.
So sorry I was not born into a billionaire family as he was. I am hard working lower class and my adult disabled son with Downs Syndrome deserves medical and financial assistance from all of the people in his family who have paid into social security a lifetime and died before or soon after they were eligible to collect
Shame on America
Any suggestions how my son will live when I die? I am elderly but working. I will never earn enough to support him even thru life insurance as the plans I can afford pay $10,000 as a whole life insurance policy