Elon Musk has recently made several statements regarding fraud and misuse of federal benefits.
His latest remarks come as the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which Musk unofficially leads, is implementing 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, reducing staff, and discontinuing phone services.
What to Know?
Musk claimed in an episode of Senator Ted Cruz’s podcast on Monday that Democrats used entitlement 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 told reporters.
“They’ve brought in 10, 20 million people who are dependent on government handouts and will vote Democrat, as shown in California.”
Musk contended that legalizing even 200,000 undocumented immigrants could permanently shift swing states 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,” the politician explained.
However, Musk has not provided evidence to back up his claims. Illegal immigrants are not eligible for Social Security retirement benefits, but they may qualify for disability benefits in certain circumstances.
According to studies, undocumented people vote in US elections infrequently.
A Brennan Center for Justice study of 23.5 million votes from 42 jurisdictions in the 2016 election discovered only about 30 instances of noncitizen voting.
A separate report by the conservative Cato Institute yielded similar findings.
Despite the lack of evidence, Musk stated that DOGE will work to “stop fraudulent payments of entitlements” to illegal immigrants.
He identified government programs such as Social Security, Medicare, and disability benefits as areas for reform.
To help prevent fraud, the Social Security Administration recently announced that beginning March 31, benefit claimants will no longer be able to verify their identity or change their direct deposit information over the phone.
Musk’s Previous Comments
This is not the first time Musk has made similar claims. In an interview with Larry Kudlow on Fox Business Network, Musk stated that federal entitlements are used by Democrats to attract illegal immigrants and convert them into voters.
He argued that eliminating these benefits would reduce illegal immigration and erode Democratic voter support.
Musk also told Joe Rogan last month that “entitlements fraud for illegal aliens” is a “magnetic force” that attracts and keeps people in the United States.
Can Immigrants Get Social Security?
An immigrant’s legal status determines their eligibility for Social Security benefits.
According to the SSA, lawfully present noncitizens who meet eligibility requirements can receive Social Security benefits.
This applies to noncitizens authorized to work in the United States who were issued a Social Security number after December 2003.
Legally residing immigrants can be eligible for Social Security retirement benefits if they earn enough work credits from payroll taxes.
Undocumented immigrants, on the other hand, are generally not eligible to receive Social Security retirement benefits.
Some people who entered illegally but later obtained temporary legal status may be eligible for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or disability benefits if they meet certain requirements.
In 2023, the nonpartisan Center for Immigration Studies reported that illegal immigration benefits Social Security and Medicare financially.
Undocumented immigrants frequently pay Social Security and Medicare taxes but are unable to collect benefits, essentially providing “free money” to these programs.
Fraud and Waste in Federal Programs
In April 2024, the Government Accountability Office, led by former President Joe Biden, reported that fraud cost between $233 billion and $521 billion per year from 2018 to 2022. Fraud refers to wrongful or criminal deception for financial gain.
According to a July 2024 report by the Social Security Administration’s inspector general, the agency distributed nearly $8.6 trillion in benefits between 2015 and 2022.
About $71.8 billion—less than 1%—was classified as “improper payments,” which primarily included overpayments that must be repaid.
Expert Opinions
The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities’ director of Social Security and disability policy, Kathleen Romig, 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 pay payroll taxes to Social Security, even though they are unlikely to receive any benefits.
“Undocumented immigrant workers make Social Security contributions through payroll taxes deducted from their paychecks—even if they will never ultimately claim Social Security,” according to Sarkar.
What’s Next?
Musk has yet to provide evidence supporting his claims about illegal immigration and entitlement fraud.