On April 15, President Donald Trump signed a new presidential memorandum aimed at tightening Social Security rules.
The memorandum is designed to stop individuals without legal status in the U.S. from receiving Social Security benefits. The announcement was made by White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.
Just hours before signing the memo, Trump was seen at the White House presenting the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy to the Navy Midshipmen football team. The signing took place shortly after the ceremony.
Key Highlights of the Memorandum
The new order includes several major steps:
- Expansion of the Social Security Fraud Prosecutor Program to at least 50 U.S. attorney offices nationwide.
- Creation of a Medicare and Medicaid fraud prosecution program in 15 U.S. attorney offices.
- SSA Inspector General to Investigate Identity Fraud: The memo directs the Social Security Administration’s Office of Inspector General to investigate earnings reports for people aged 100 or older who have mismatched or suspicious Social Security records.
- Possible Reinstatement of Civil Penalties: The SSA is now considering bringing back civil monetary penalties for those found guilty of Social Security fraud—something that had not been enforced in recent years.
Michelle L. Anderson, who serves as the Assistant Inspector General for Audit, will oversee the investigations with a team of auditors, IT experts, attorneys, investigators, and other officials.
Why It Matters?
The timing of Trump’s action is important. On the same day, former President Joe Biden was scheduled to speak at the Advocates, Counselors, and Representatives for the Disabled conference in Chicago. He is expected to highlight Trump’s recent actions as a potential threat to Social Security.
Leavitt said, “These taxpayer-funded benefits should go only to eligible individuals. Under Biden, millions of illegal immigrants entered the country, and many of them have fraudulently accessed these programs.”
A White House briefing document explained the broader goal: “Enforcing Social Security Act fraud is critical because the Act covers not just retirement benefits, but also disability insurance, Medicare, Medicaid, unemployment benefits, and welfare support under programs like TANF.”
Who Will Be Affected?
The new rules primarily target individuals who are trying to receive Social Security benefits without proper legal status. It also applies to those who use fake documents or false identities to apply for benefits.
According to current law, undocumented immigrants are generally not eligible for Social Security benefits unless they:
- Have valid work authorization
- Have paid into the system using a legal Social Security Number (SSN)
The White House clarified that lawfully present immigrants and U.S. citizens will not be affected by this new order.
Background: What the Law Says?
Under the Social Security Protection Act of 2004, an undocumented immigrant cannot qualify for benefits unless they had legal work authorization when their SSN was issued, or gained authorization later. This applies to SSNs assigned after January 1, 2004.
For immigrants with SSNs issued before that date, all earnings covered under Social Security may still count toward eligibility, regardless of their legal work status at the time.
Cost of Illegal Immigration
According to the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), American taxpayers spend at least $182 billion every year to cover costs related to the presence of approximately 20 million illegal immigrants and their children in the U.S.
What’s Next?
With this new directive, the Trump administration is expected to ramp up investigations and legal action against Social Security fraud involving undocumented individuals.
The expansion of fraud units in U.S. attorney offices suggests a wider effort to track and punish misuse of benefits.
Disclaimer- Our team has thoroughly fact-checked this article to ensure its accuracy and maintain its credibility. We are committed to providing honest and reliable content for our readers.