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Fact check: 275,000 illegal immigrants on social security
1. Summary of the results
The claim that "275,000 illegal immigrants on social security" appears to reference a specific figure cited by President Trump and Social Security Commissioner Frank Bisignano, who claimed the agency has "kicked nearly 275,000 illegal aliens" off of the Social Security system [1]. However, an expert suggests this number may be misleading and could refer to legal immigrants who lost their legal status rather than individuals who were illegally receiving benefits [1].
The analyses reveal that undocumented immigrants are generally not eligible to receive Social Security benefits if they are not lawfully in the US [2]. Instead, the data shows that undocumented immigrants paid nearly $26 billion in Social Security taxes in 2022 and will never be eligible for the benefits of the program [2] [3]. Some noncitizens may be eligible for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits under specific criteria [4].
2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints
The original statement omits crucial context about the nature of undocumented immigrants' relationship with Social Security. Undocumented immigrants are actually net contributors to the Social Security system, paying approximately $25-26 billion annually in Social Security taxes while being ineligible to receive benefits [2] [3]. This creates what sources describe as a "Social Security Paradox" where these individuals fund a system they cannot access [3].
The statement also fails to distinguish between different categories of immigrants. The 275,000 figure may actually refer to legal immigrants who subsequently lost their legal status, not individuals who were fraudulently receiving benefits as "illegal immigrants" [1]. Additionally, the analyses mention that over 2 million illegal aliens were assigned Social Security Numbers in fiscal year 2024, suggesting the administrative complexity of the system [5].
Political actors and immigration enforcement agencies benefit from framing this issue as fraud prevention rather than acknowledging the substantial tax contributions made by undocumented workers. President Trump's administration specifically promoted this narrative through memorandums and policy statements [5] [6].
3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement
The statement presents a misleading characterization by implying that 275,000 undocumented immigrants were improperly receiving Social Security benefits. An expert analysis suggests this figure is misleading and likely refers to individuals whose legal status changed, not fraudulent benefit recipients [1].
The framing ignores the $150.7 billion net fiscal burden claim made by Trump's administration [5] while simultaneously omitting the $25-26 billion annual contribution these same individuals make to Social Security [2] [3]. This selective presentation of data serves to support anti-immigration narratives while obscuring the financial reality that undocumented immigrants are net contributors to the Social Security system.
The statement also conflates different benefit programs, as the eligibility criteria mentioned in sources specifically reference Supplemental Security Income (SSI) rather than standard Social Security benefits [4], suggesting potential confusion between different federal programs.