The claims about “illegals” receiving maximum Social Security benefits contain significant inaccuracies when compared to federal laws and Social Security Administration (SSA) policies. Here’s a breakdown:
Only noncitizens in the U.S. can obtain Social Security numbers (). This includes:
– Lawful permanent residents (green card holders)
– Refugees/asylees
– Temporary visa holders (e.g., H-1B, student visas)
– Asylum seekers after 6+ month pending cases
4.8 million noncitizen SSNs issued since 2021 would primarily reflect:
– Legal immigrant workers
– Refugees/asylum seekers with work permits
– Humanitarian parolees
Social Security retirement/disability benefits require of qualifying work credits. Even authorized noncitizens cannot receive these benefits without sufficient work history. By contrast:
– Supplemental Security Income (SSI) has stricter rules: limited to certain humanitarian immigrants (refugees, trafficking victims) for , with stringent income/resource limits
– Only 6 states offer limited state-funded aid to ineligible immigrants
1. : SSA requires explicit work authorization documentation and lawful status verification for every application.
2. : While Biden eased some asylum procedures, work permits/SSNs still require:
– Minimum 6-month pending application
– Individual work authorization approval
3. : Federal law prohibits noncitizen voting in federal elections. State/local exceptions (e.g., NYC) require separate municipal ID processes unrelated to SSNs.
– Social Security benefits derive from payroll taxes paid by workers
– SSI uses general Treasury funds
– Unauthorized workers contributed in Social Security taxes (2022) without eligibility to claim benefits
While immigration critics point to increased processing of asylum seekers, SSA data shows:
– 94% of working-age immigrants (legal status) participate in the labor force vs 83% of U.S.-born
– Immigrants projected to contribute to Social Security through 2036
The system prioritizes legal workers’ contributions over unauthorized claims, with no evidence of systemic “max pay” defaults for undocumented individuals.
