During a recent event marking the 90th anniversary of the Social Security Act, President Donald Trump announced a substantial achievement in combating fraud within the Social Security system. He revealed that 275,000 illegal immigrants have been removed from the rolls, a significant step toward preserving the integrity of the program. This effort is part of a larger initiative by the Department of Government Efficiency aimed at protecting Social Security from abuse, particularly from those who do not have legal status.
According to the Social Security Administration’s own regulations, only “lawfully present noncitizens” who meet established criteria can benefit from Social Security. Trump pointed out that there were individuals receiving benefits even after leaving the country, stating, “We’ve already kicked nearly 275,000 illegal aliens off of the Social Security system.” His comments highlight a major issue in managing the program, underscored by Social Security Commissioner Frank Bisignano’s presence during the announcement.
Trump emphasized the significance of ensuring that the Social Security system is not drained by fraudulent claims, noting, “These are people, many of them have already left the country, and yet we were sending them checks all the time.” He stressed the importance of the program to millions of Americans, claiming that under Biden, “Social Security went down like nobody’s ever seen. It deteriorated.” This commentary sets a stark contrast between his administration’s efforts and the current state of the program.
In a lighthearted moment, Trump referred to the removal of cases involving individuals surprisingly older than 120 years. He joked, “There were nearly 135,000 people listed who are over 160 years old, and in some cases, getting payments.” His remarks reflect both the absurdity of certain occurrences within the system and a commitment to reforming it. The Social Security Administration supported the president’s claims, reporting updates to the records of those no longer legally eligible to receive benefits.
Bisignano elaborated on the agency’s modernization efforts, asserting, “This will be a digital-first agency,” and setting an ambitious goal for 200 million Americans to have digital accounts by next year. This modernization aims to further ensure that the system functions efficiently and remains available for those who have earned its benefits throughout their working lives.
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