The White House has issued a new directive reinforcing the ban on distributing Social Security benefits to immigrants who are not legally eligible, citing the risk of fraud and the need to preserve taxpayer-funded programs.
The memorandum, signed by President Trump, directs multiple federal agencies to step up enforcement efforts to prevent what the administration describes as "abuse by illegal aliens."
According to the White House, the directive stems from Executive Order 14218, signed in February, which seeks to "end taxpayer subsidization of open borders." The new memorandum specifically targets programs under the Social Security Act, including traditional retirement benefits, disability insurance, Medicare, Medicaid, and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), among others.
The document directs the Secretaries of Labor and Health and Human Services, along with the Commissioner of Social Security, to take "all reasonable measures" to prevent ineligible immigrants from accessing these funds. This includes issuing updated regulations and prioritizing enforcement against local governments that fail to properly verify eligibility or stop payments to deceased or otherwise ineligible individuals.
The Department of Justice is also instructed to expand its fraud prosecution programs. At least 50 U.S. Attorney Offices will receive Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys to prosecute Social Security-related fraud, with a focus on identity theft and false beneficiary claims. A parallel program for Medicare and Medicaid is to be launched in 15 offices, with resources concentrated in areas with high populations of undocumented immigrants.
In addition, the memorandum calls for full implementation of recommendations from a 2023 Inspector General audit, which identified missing death records in the Social Security Administration's system. The administration notes that individuals over 100 years old have been reported as receiving wages despite not matching any identifiable records—raising concerns about identity theft or unlawful employment.
"The President believes that taxpayer-funded benefits must only be provided to those who are legally eligible and must not encourage or reward illegal immigration," the White House added in the statement.
A study by the Cato Institute in February, however, challenged claims that immigrants, especially undocumented ones, heavily burden U.S. welfare programs. Using 2022 data, the study found non-citizens claimed 54% less in federal benefits than native-born citizens, receiving an average of $4,564 compared to $9,623. In fact, despite making up over 7% of the population, immigrants used only 3.5% of federal welfare spending.
Originally published on Latin Times
