Trump's week in review: From funding freezes to Holy Week celebrations
2. Trump signs executive order to ensure illegals don't receive Social Security benefits
In an executive order published Tuesday, Trump directed leaders of several executive branch agencies to take steps to ensure that illegal immigrants don't receive Social Security benefits.
“The Secretary of Labor, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, and the Commissioner of Social Security, in consultation with the Secretary of Homeland Security as necessary, shall take all reasonable measures, consistent with applicable law, to ensure ineligible aliens are not receiving funds from Social Security Act programs,” the order stated.
“Such measures shall include promulgating any necessary guidance or regulations regarding Social Security Act funds and, to the extent appropriate and consistent with law, prioritizing civil or administrative enforcement actions against States, localities, or other similar grantees or subgrantees that do not take adequate measures to verify eligibility, stop payments to deceased or otherwise ineligible payees, or otherwise prevent ineligible aliens from receiving funds from Social Security Act programs,” the order added.
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Trump cited the executive order as necessary in light of investigations finding that the Social Security Administration “does not investigate or attempt to resolve reports of earnings received by individuals age 100 or older if the SSA has not recorded death information for such individuals, even when the reported wage-earner does not match the name or other personally identifiable information in SSA records, which may indicate identity theft, illegal work, tax evasion, or other unlawful activity.”
The executive order directed the commissioner of Social Security to “refer promptly to the inspector general of the SSA all earnings reports for persons age 100 or older when the purported wage-earner’s name does not match SSA’s files.” It directed the investigation of such situations and their referral to the DOJ and other executive departments and agencies as necessary.
Trump identified the executive order as consistent with the goals of his Feb. 19 executive order titled, “Ending Taxpayer Subsidization of Open Borders,” as well as “principles of sound administration” demanding that “taxpayer-funded benefits be provided only to eligible persons and not encourage or reward illegal immigration to the United States.”
Ryan Foley is a reporter for The Christian Post. He can be reached at: ryan.foley@christianpost.com
