The White House recently announced that 6,300 illegal immigrants with criminal history or other serious risks have been receiving benefits.
“This memorandum strengthens SSA’s commitment to protecting taxpayer dollars and ensuring the integrity of the programs it administers,” the agency said.
The memo requires the SSA to expand its fraud prosecutors program to at least 50 U.S. law firms.
The SSA’s Inspector’s Office (OIG) is tasked with investigating allegations of fraud related to Social Security. To prosecute federal crimes, OIG partners with US lawyers within the Department of Justice and other local and state prosecutors.
In addition to expanding the fraud prosecution program, the memo directs SSA to set up a Medicaid fraud disposition program at 15 U.S. law firms.
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“The Social Security Administration is dedicated to protecting the important interests that American workers have acquired on behalf of themselves and their families,” said representative Commissioner Leland Dudeck.
“We are committed to implementing the President’s memorandum and working diligently to ensure that benefits are paid only to those who are supposed to receive them.”
These individuals were allowed to come to the United States despite national security risks, criminal history or being listed in the FBI’s terrorist screening database, according to the White House.
They were also paroleed to the state and protected from deportation. Immigrant parole allows a person to live temporarily and work in the United States.
Parole for 6,300 individuals ended on April 8th. Their Social Security numbers were reclassified by the SSA into ineligible master files, ensuring they never received the benefits of another federal government.
“Only eligible taxpayers”
Trump’s April 15 memo is directed at Social Security Commissioners, Social Security Office inspectors, Attorney General, Labor Secretaries, Department of Health and Human Services, and Homeland Security secretaries.
“These taxpayer-funded benefits must be for qualified taxpayers only,” said Karoline Leavitt, White House press director.
The crackdown on illegal immigration has significantly reduced border encounters.
This was less than the 330 daily anxiety seen in February. This was “average national unrest” in the history of customs and border protection at the time, the agency said.
