President Donald Trump has officially signed a new executive order to stop illegal immigrants from receiving Social Security benefits and to crack down on fraud within the system.
BREAKING: President Trump signs an executive order ending all Social Security benefits for criminal aliens.
Can’t believe this even had to be done. pic.twitter.com/4GOv9JMwNk
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) April 15, 2025
The move comes amid growing concerns that loopholes and outdated records have allowed some benefits to go to people who don’t legally qualify—or, in some bizarre cases, to people who may not even be alive.
American Benefits For Americans
Under current law, illegal immigrants aren’t supposed to get Social Security checks. To qualify, you need a valid Social Security number and legal work status.
But as Trump’s administration has pointed out, the system isn’t foolproof. There have been cases where undocumented individuals used fake or stolen SSNs to pay into the system, creating confusion and loopholes.
Trump’s executive order makes it official: Social Security benefits are for citizens and legal residents—period.
Cleaning Up the “Zombie Payroll”
In addition to blocking illegals from benefits, the order also tackles a bizarre but very real issue: outdated records showing people over 100 years old still receiving Social Security.
A 2023 Inspector General report from the Social Security Administration found millions of records for people over 100, many of whom were long deceased but still listed as “alive” in the system. In rare cases, checks were still being sent.
Trump’s order directs the SSA to launch full investigations, cross-check with death records, and remove anyone no longer eligible from the payment rolls.
Elon Musk has called it a “zombie payroll” problem. Now, the administration is taking it seriously.
If you’ve spent your whole working life paying into Social Security, you deserve to know that your money is going to the right people—not to fraudsters or bureaucratic screw-ups.
With the Social Security trust fund expected to face shortfalls by 2035, cleaning up waste and abuse is more urgent than ever.
Some critics argue this is just political theater, citing government stats that show only 0.84% of Social Security payments were improper between 2015 and 2022.
But even that small percentage adds up to billions of dollars.
Let’s face it—if the government can’t catch and stop payments to someone born in 1898, it’s probably time to tighten things up.
Critics Push Back, But Americans Back Reform
Some left-leaning groups claim the order could unfairly target elderly immigrants with complex paperwork. Others say the effort is more symbolic than impactful.
But trust in the system is not exactly the popular opinion among Americans. A recent Gallup poll found that 58% of us believe the federal government wastes “a great deal” of taxpayer money.
That’s the trust gap Trump is trying to close.
It’s a step in the right direction. Less fraud. Less waste. More confidence in a program millions rely on.
What Happens Next?
The order is now in effect. Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is expected to assist with auditing, cross-checking databases, and upgrading verification systems to catch fraud before it happens.
This is just the beginning of what Trump calls a “top-to-bottom cleanup of bureaucratic waste.”
Whether or not the savings are massive, it’s your money. And it should go where it belongs.
This article was written with the assistance of AI. Please verify information and consult additional sources as needed.
