Fact Check: Are Immigrants Getting Social Security? - AMAC & Newsweek
Aliss Higham of Newsweek dives into the illegal alien vs. Social Security argument. In the debate, Donald Trump said, “Social Security, he’s destroying it because millions of people are pouring into our country, and they’re putting them onto Social Security.” But Trump did not specify whether he was referring to migrants living in the U.S. legally or illegally. Illegals cannot collect Social Security retirement benefits, but some immigrants may be able to collect Supplemental Security Income (SSI), a federal government program separate from Social Security and often called “welfare.” To take advantage of SSI, there are established criteria qualifying recipients:
- Lawfully admitted for permanent residence.
- Granted conditional entry.
- Paroled into the United States.
- Admitted as a refugee.
- Granted asylum.
- An alien whose removal is being withheld.
- A Cuban or Haitian entrant.
- Admitted as an Amerasian immigrant.
- Admitted as an Afghan or Iraqi special immigrant.
- Admitted as an Afghan humanitarian parolee.
- Admitted as an Afghan non-special immigrant parolee.
- Admitted as a Ukrainian humanitarian parolee.
For the full breakdown of eligibility for noncitizens who can collect SSI benefits, click here. Read the full article here.
I am 62 years old am a female, and have lived here my entire life, and am a US citizen, and I was denied my civil rights, and my right to live with dignity, and be treated as a human being was DENIED me for OVER 20 years in fighting for MY SSDI!! THERE WERE SO MANY MISTAKES, CLERICAL ERRORS, AND A DOENRIGHT DISREGARD FOR SO MUCH OF MY EVIDENCE BY REAL DOCTORS AND HOSPITALS!! MY CASE WAS PERMANENTLY, CLOSED!! The ALJ ruined my life – I have been homeless and al.ost froze to death several times while illegal, border jumpers get free disa ility, medicaid, snap, grants, etc. I am a dead woman because I couldn’t find a lawyer, and because of MY ethnicity!! I WORKED for YEARS when I was able to, but the SSA must have rubberstamped, a NO to my case at the HIGHEST LEVELS!!
Hello Cloey,
We are so sorry to hear about your troubles, and that you have been unsuccessful in getting Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI benefits. First, I’d like to make sure that you are aware that SSDI is a benefit for those who have worked and contributed to the Social Security program for a sufficient period of time and recently enough, to be eligible for SS disability insurance benefits. That you have obviously appealed a previous SSDI denial, and your case has been heard by an Administrative Law Judge, I have to assume that you do not meet one or more of the eligibility criteria for SSDI benefits. In our experience, Social Security does not deny benefits to those who are truly eligible.
Because of the personal circumstances you describe (homeless with very few income and/or assets), I wonder if you have applied for other types of assistance, such as Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Medicaid? If not, I would encourage you to do so by contacting your local Social Security office (find it here) or calling SS at 1.800.772.1213 and asking for “Supplemental Security Income” benefits and Medicaid benefits. Both SSI and Medicaid are totally separate benefit programs from regular Social Security disability, with totally separate eligibility criteria which, from what you’ve described, you are likely eligible for. But you will need to contact SSA or your local Social Services office as above to apply.
I would also suggest you go this this website sponsored by the National Council on Aging: https://benefitscheckup.org/. Here you can find complete information about the assistance available to you where you live.
Cloey, I hope this information is helpful and that you are able to find the assistance you seek. Rest assured that we will always be available to answer any other questions you may have.
Best regards,
Russell Gloor
Certified Social Security Advisor
The AMAC Foundation, Inc.
CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: The contents of this message, including any attachments, are confidential and are intended solely for the use of the person or entity to whom the message was addressed. If you are not the intended recipient of this message, please be advised that any dissemination, distribution, forwarding, printing, copying, or use of the contents of this message, and any attached documentation, is strictly prohibited. If you received this message in error, please notify the sender. Please also permanently delete all copies of the original message and any attached documentation. The opinions and interpretations expressed in this message are the viewpoints of the message’s author, a trained advisor accredited under the National Social Security Advisors program of the National Social Security Association, LLC (NSSA). The author, the NSSA, and the AMAC Foundation are not affiliated with or endorsed by the United States Government, the Social Security Administration, or any other state government.
If legally allowed to receive benefits why would Trump have them removed. You have to assume they were getting benefits illegally, specifically they didn’t meet the criteria.
If obtaining a job using a stolen social security number that number has been accepted and the social security admin thinks it is real. So what would stop them from collecting?
Let’s say an American dies in their late teens. Their social security number is obtained and used by an illegal.
How would the administration figure out it is fake.
Robert:
Thanks for the comments. Regarding your question on fraudulent use of Social Security numbers (SSNs) to receive Social Security benefits, I would note that the Social Security Administration has implemented numerous checks and balances to ensure that this type of risk is minimized. For example, there are procedures in place to invalidate SSNs upon death, and any taxes collected using such a number would be flagged. Likewise, use of a stolen SSN would cause income to be reported on that account’s earnings record and would be noticeable to the account holder.
Part of the confusion that arises in these situations is the fact that illegals may receive benefits in the form of Supplemental Security Income, a form of welfare that is managed by the Social Security Administration but is not part of the Social Security program.
Gerry Hafer
AMAC Foundation Social Security Advisor
The above is intended for information purposes only and does not represent legal or financial guidance. It presents the opinions and interpretations of the AMAC Foundation’s staff, trained and accredited by the National Social Security Association (NSSA). NSSA and the AMAC Foundation and its staff are not affiliated with or endorsed by the Social Security Administration or any other governmental entity. To submit a question, visit our website (amacfoundation.org/programs/social-security-advisory) or email us at ssadvisor@amacfoundation.org
You state in your article But Trump did not specify whether he was referring to migrants living in the U.S. legally or illegally. Cmon we all know it’s illegal. The only ones that have dumped them all in one bucket is the left and the bias media calling them all migrants
Just to clarify your post, non US citizens who have legal residency, ie green card, can collect Social Security if they have met the requirements of working and paying into Social Security for 10years +
John,
Yes, anyone who is legally present in the U.S. (e.g., with a “green card”) and who works and earns the requisite 40 “quarter credits” for Social Security, can collect Social Security benefits. However, the amount of monthly Social Security they get is directly related to their covered earnings while contributing to Social Security. In other words, those who EARN the minimum quarters get the amount they’ve actually earned from working. That amount is based upon their Average Indexed Monthly Earnings (AIME – their average monthly earnings while working) which translates to their Primary Insurance Amount (PIA – their monthly SS benefit amount). Those who earn the minimum 40 quarter credits also get a minimum monthly benefit, usually about 40% of their AIME – their average monthly earnings while working and contributing to Social Security. Essentially, those who pay into Social Security get benefits as a percentage of their earnings while contributing to the program, but they must have contributed for about 10 years (40 quarters) to earn benefits.
I hope this clarifies, but please contact us at SSAdvisor@amacfoundation.org if you have further questions.
Regards,
Russell Gloor
Certified Social Security Advisor
The AMAC Foundation
Are they really citizens now?
Are they paying into the SS regularly if under the age of 65?
If not, they should NOT be receiving s
S benefits.
Daniel:
Thank you for commenting on the Fact Check article. In response to your questions, I would note that about half of the roughly 46 million immigrants living in the U.S. have become, according to coopercenter.org, naturalized citizens. As a result, they are eligible to vote in federal elections and can receive benefits available to other citizens, based on eligibility criteria. Holding a job and paying payroll taxes makes them eligible to receive Social Security benefits based on their work record and in accordance with Social Security eligibility rules.
Illegal immigrants, on the other hand, may be able to obtain tax-paying jobs via fraudulently-obtained Social Security Numbers, but would not be able to claim Social Security benefits on these records because they are not U.S. Citizens.
Gerry Hafer
Social Security Advisor
AMAC Foundation, Inc.
The above is intended for information purposes only and does not represent legal or financial guidance. It presents the opinions and interpretations of the AMAC Foundation’s staff, trained and accredited by the National Social Security Association (NSSA). NSSA and the AMAC Foundation and its staff are not affiliated with or endorsed by the Social Security Administration or any other governmental entity. To submit a question, visit our website (amacfoundation.org/programs/social-security-advisory) or email us at ssadvisor@amacfoundation.org.