On Tuesday, April 15, former President Donald Trump signed a new memorandum aimed at tightening rules around who can receive Social Security benefits.
The White House stated that the move is designed to ensure that only those who are legally eligible get access to programs under the Social Security Act.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt explained that the directive will prevent ineligible foreign nationals from receiving Social Security funds.
It also includes stronger enforcement against those who fail to properly verify eligibility, continue payments to deceased or disqualified individuals, or allow unauthorized access to these benefits.
As part of this order, the Social Security Administration (SSA) will expand its anti-fraud efforts. At least 50 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices will now take part in cracking down on Social Security fraud, and 15 more federal districts will join efforts to prosecute fraud related to Medicare and Medicaid.
One specific focus of the memo is investigating people aged 100 or older whose earnings records contain inconsistencies. The goal here is to tackle identity theft and prevent misuse of Social Security funds.
Another key part of the directive is a push to bring back civil monetary penalties for those caught committing Social Security fraud. These fines have not been actively used for several years.
Who Will Be Affected by This Change?
This action mainly targets individuals who attempt to receive Social Security benefits without proper legal status. It also addresses people who file fraudulent applications or use false identities to collect payments.
However, the policy is not expected to impact U.S. citizens or legal immigrants who are entitled to these benefits.
Who Qualifies for Social Security Benefits?
According to current law, most undocumented immigrants are not eligible for Social Security benefits. To qualify, a person must have legal work authorization and must have paid into the system using a valid Social Security Number (SSN).
A law passed in 2004, called the Social Security Protection Act, states that if an immigrant was issued an SSN on or after January 1, 2004, they must have had legal work authorization at the time the number was issued (or received it later) in order to qualify for benefits.
For those who received their SSNs before January 1, 2004, all earnings covered by Social Security count toward eligibility, whether or not they had work authorization when the SSN was issued.
Why This Matters?
The White House also cited figures from the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), which claims that U.S. taxpayers spend about $182 billion each year on services related to roughly 20 million undocumented immigrants and their children.
This new directive is part of a broader effort by Trump to address immigration and fraud concerns through stricter federal oversight and enforcement.