Social Security Statement on President Trump’s Memorandum, “Preventing Illegal Aliens from Obtaining Social Security Act Benefits”
Reading Time: 2 MinutesLast Updated: April 17, 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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Annie C.
I pray that whoever is charged to perform this task is righteous and do not interfere with those who rightfully paid into SS all their working life. This is not a privilege, and we earned that money that was paid for our supplemental income. Do right by the American people and those who deserve it. I worked since I was 16 and paid my dues to get what I worked for!!!
Naturalized
Amen
Annette S.
I would think that SS management would not go along with the shameful statement of the administration since people ,here without papers do not receive those benefits.
Monty B.
We have a maga lackey in charge of our hard earned benefits and feeding us BS. STAND UP AND PUSH BACK!
Rose
I don’t believe the people critical of reducing fraud are sincere. Could anybody be against cleaning up the roles? No. Those comments are agenda driven. Good going. Appreciated.
M.E. V.
I agree with you that some just don’t like the scrutiny . On the other hand, though,
some are worried that with short staff at SSA and mistakes , that some innocent people may be harmed.
Diane S.
They’re not entitled to benefits but they’re working and having taxes taken out their pay that goes into the program.. Make it make sense because this doesn’t. I want to know where all this money they’re so called saving where us it and where is it going?
FedUp
An SSA rep treated my Naturazed US citizen husband in a rude manner. SSA should know full well that it is illegal to copy a Naturalizion document so why do they ask that. At least SSA said it was acceptable to.provide a copy of a US Passport. Thank God he has a US Passport but not everyone can afford those. What will happen to those people?
Frank
It’s used for deportation and for their safe return. Do you think flying is free- fuel – our military people need to be paid for assisting them to get back home. Nothing is free. These people were not supposed to been here in the first place. Least be said their paying for their own ticket and using our taxpayer planes and fuel and man power to send them back to their home. They had no business being here.
Ben L.
Ridiculous. SSA at any time can investigate earnings in the suspense file for employers who hire employees with either bogus SSNs or ones belonging to others living and dead. And frankly it’s impossible to receive OASDI benefits or SSI payments unless a citizen or permanent legal resident since those statuses are verified (always when applying for a SSN for example, or updating one’s status). This is applauding oneself for doing what your suppose to.
JFN
Agreed
Lewis W.
Cleaning up the SS roles will allow for more future funding for Seniors on SS and SSI.
Daisy
Hasta ahora no trabajan bien mi esposo está en silla de ruedas y no mela an dado y somos ciudadanos y hemos perdido dos veces las casas porque mi esposo solo tiene 60anos y solo recibe una miseria y no nos da para pagar y esto empeora cada vez más.
James R.
i hope that money will not come from blacklisting eliable alien participants who benefits were rightfully earned.
Kathleen Y.
I can’t wait! ♥️
Gina
Illegals have never received social security benefits. They pay in but was never able to get any social security.
Georgia
What a joke! There are NO illegal aliens currently receiving SS benefits. That has always been against the law. This administration wants to continue to deceive people into thinking they are cleaning up the US and doing away with fraud and waste. Billionaire tax cuts are the ACTUAL fraud and waste the American taxpayers have been funding – ALL THIS TIME!
Dawn B.
I’d like to know where the fraud is also they haven’t found any and won’t admit that. You aren’t fooling us we know the truth. Stop with all the lies trump is a liar and a felon and we are supposed to believe his bullshit.
L.L.
👍
Vonda
Agreed! This blog post makes zero sense!! What a joke!!!
DC
Agree 100%, Georgia! GAO has never found widespread fraud in the SSI program, certainly not involving people who lack documentation. Total sham. Help SSA work better by expanding staff and improving infrastructure!
Linda
I fully agree with Georgia. What a joke! Yes – billionaire tax cuts are the real fraud and waste but unfortunately with this administration thats not going to change.
C.G.
Yes, how true! SSA has already been taken over by DOGE!
Terry
Your very ignorant and it sounds as if your an illegal alien. To say what you have said is anti American and truly disrespectful. You should be sued for slander.
B. S.
You need to educate yourself on how things really work and how people that have no scruples work the system. We know several people that receive benefits when they shouldn’t and live off of the system including generational welfare. You cannot be a sheep that just listens to the mainstream or conservative media.
Kathleen
But there are Dead ones! 💯
Tom D.
You are the on deceived. Blinded by you hate of Trump. Only the truth will set you free 🙂
Florida
Hi @Georgia ,
Florida here…we employ non-citizens who are here legally and can tell you that you are woefully uninformed.
No one said they obtained the SS number legally.
I know a teenager who recently received a driver’s license she can use to get into clubs…and it scans just like a real one. It looks just like a real one. She ordered it on the internet.
All it takes is one consumer who really really wants it and someone else who can arrange to make it happen.
It may even be someone in one of the SSA offices that is working in collusion with them.
Gaye
Yes!
Linda
Georgia,
What planst are you living on. Starts listening to newsmax to hear tbe truth
Roxie
Amen, you are so right. More lies by administration and those who want chaos.
S J.
I was already under the impression that illegal aliens did not get social security, so this is not helpful and no need for it, since it already illegal for them to get it anyway.
Tom
I do not support wholly the current administration, but do you have any facts to support your statement? Illegal aliens are receiving hundreds of millions in government payments, and likely SS benefits are among them.
Jane F.
I agree. SSA has had lots of code in place to keep this from happening. Only LEGAL aliens allowed to work receive benefits.
Illegal aliens have reported on W2s that they had money withheld, bimut have never been able to receive benefits.
Amy K.
Stop grandstanding with our hard-earned retirement benefits.
a. n.
Illegal aliens don’t get Social Security benefits. They never have. So what does this accomplish? A whole lot of nothing.
Raymond E.
Social Security is all we have to depend on for some of us it”s not enough to make ends meet with high inflation.
Barry M.
I’m SURE mistakes are made with SS. Saying this, SS “runs a tight ship” & I bet mistakes are far & few between. I find SS very professional with any dealings I have ever had.
Politicians who easily accuse dishonesty, NEED to look in the mirror.
Mrs
Yes, agreed. I’m always wondering how some politicians in both parties end up as millionaires.
Judy A.
How about all the dead people’s families that are getting their Social Security checks. And the people that are over 100 years old that are still alive. You can verify whether the people that are 100 and over are still alive easily. But the people that are 134 years old, 125 years old etc. that are getting money. Let’s get them off the rolls and let’s prosecute their families that are getting their money
Carey
I don’t think the president is claiming that illegal immigrants are getting money from Social Security through legal channels. It is my understanding that he is trying to get measures in place to prevent them from getting it illegally. I don’t claim to know all the ins and outs of this, but I did not get the impression he was saying that SS was knowingly giving money to illegal immigrants.