Elon Musk has recently made several statements about fraud and misuse of federal benefits.
His latest comments come as the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which Musk unofficially leads, has been making major changes to the Social Security Administration (SSA) as part of President Donald Trump’s push to reduce federal spending.
These changes include closing field offices, cutting staff, and reducing phone services.
What to Know?
During an episode of Senator Ted Cruz’s podcast on Monday, Musk claimed that Democrats have used entitlements fraud to attract and retain illegal immigrants, ultimately securing their votes.
“By using entitlements fraud, the Democrats have been able to attract and retain vast numbers of illegal immigrants,” Musk said.
“They’ve brought in 10, 20 million people who are dependent on government handouts and will vote Democrat, as shown in California.”
Musk argued that legalizing even 200,000 undocumented immigrants could sway swing states permanently in favor of Democrats.
“Even without cheating, if you bring in illegals that are 10 times the voting differential in a swing state, it will no longer be a swing state,” he said.
However, Musk has not provided evidence to support these claims. Illegal immigrants are not eligible for Social Security retirement benefits, though some may qualify for disability benefits in certain situations.
Studies have shown that instances of undocumented people voting in U.S. elections are extremely rare.
A Brennan Center for Justice study examining 23.5 million votes from 42 jurisdictions in the 2016 election found only about 30 cases of noncitizen voting.
A separate report from the conservative Cato Institute produced similar results.
Despite the lack of evidence, Musk stated that DOGE will work to “turn off fraudulent payments of entitlements” to illegal immigrants.
He listed government programs like Social Security, Medicare, and disability benefits as targets for reform.
The SSA recently announced that starting March 31, benefit claimants will no longer be able to verify their identity or change direct deposit information over the phone to help prevent fraud.
Musk’s Previous Comments
This isn’t the first time Musk has made such claims. In an interview on Fox Business Network with Larry Kudlow, Musk said that federal entitlements serve as a tool for Democrats to attract illegal immigrants and turn them into voters.
He suggested that stopping these benefits would reduce illegal immigration and weaken Democratic voter support.
Musk also told Joe Rogan last month that “entitlements fraud for illegal aliens” acts as a “magnetic force” attracting people to the U.S. and keeping them there.
Can Immigrants Get Social Security?
An immigrant’s ability to receive Social Security benefits depends on their legal status.
According to the SSA, lawfully present noncitizens who meet eligibility requirements can qualify for Social Security benefits.
This applies to noncitizens authorized to work in the U.S. who have a Social Security number issued after December 2003.
Legally residing immigrants can qualify for Social Security retirement benefits if they earn enough work credits through payroll taxes.
However, undocumented immigrants generally cannot collect Social Security retirement benefits.
Some who entered illegally but later received temporary legal status may qualify for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or disability benefits if they meet certain criteria.
The non-partisan Center for Immigration Studies reported in 2023 that illegal immigration benefits Social Security and Medicare financially.
Undocumented immigrants often pay Social Security and Medicare taxes but cannot collect benefits, effectively contributing “free money” to these programs.
Fraud and Waste in Federal Programs
In April 2024, the Government Accountability Office under former President Joe Biden reported that between $233 billion and $521 billion was lost to fraud each year from 2018 to 2022. Fraud includes wrongful or criminal deception for financial gain.
A July 2024 report from the SSA’s inspector general found that from 2015 to 2022, the agency distributed nearly $8.6 trillion in benefits.
About $71.8 billion—less than 1%—was classified as “improper payments,” which mostly involved overpayments that are typically required to be paid back.
Expert Opinions
Kathleen Romig, director of Social Security and disability policy at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, told NBC News that Musk’s claims are misleading.
“Undocumented immigrants cannot get SSI or Social Security benefits, but they still contribute significantly to the system.”
Dr. Shayak Sarkar, a law professor at the University of California Davis, told Newsweek that undocumented immigrants contribute to Social Security through payroll taxes, even though they are unlikely to receive benefits.
“Undocumented immigrant workers make Social Security contributions through payroll taxes deducted from their paychecks—even if they will never ultimately claim Social Security,” Sarkar said.
What’s Next?
Musk has yet to provide evidence to back up his claims about illegal immigration and entitlement fraud.
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