Donald Trump and Joe Biden took part in the first head-to-head presidential debate of the 2024 election cycle on June 27 in Atlanta. The debate covered numerous topics important to the American electorate, including immigration and Social Security.
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The Claim
During Thursday's debate, Trump said Biden was "destroying" Social Security through high immigration numbers.
"Social Security, he's destroying it because millions of people are pouring into our country, and they're putting them onto Social Security," the former president said.
The presumptive Republican nominee did not specify whether he was referring to migrants living in the U.S. legally or illegally.
The Facts
Whether an immigrant is eligible to collect Social Security benefits depends on their legal status.
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On its website, the Social Security Administration wrote: "Lawfully present noncitizens of the United States who meet all eligibility requirements can qualify for Social Security benefits. This rule also applies to noncitizens authorized to work in the United States who got a Social Security number after December 2003."
Immigrants living in the U.S. legally can qualify for Social Security retirement benefits if they attain enough work credits over the course of their careers. To earn such credits, immigrants need to obtain a Social Security number and pay Social Security taxes.
Immigrants living in the country illegally are not eligible for Social Security retirement benefits, but those who entered the U.S. illegally before receiving temporary permission to stay may be eligible for Supplemental Security Income benefits if they meet certain criteria. SSI benefits are distributed to people who have little or no income or resources, a disability, blindness, or attained the age of 65 or older.
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Immigrants may be eligible for SSI if they meet the following criteria:
- Lawfully admitted for permanent residence.
- Granted conditional entry.
- Paroled into the United States.
- Admitted as a refugee.
- Granted asylum.
- An alien whose removal is being withheld.
- A Cuban or Haitian entrant.
- Admitted as an Amerasian immigrant.
- Admitted as an Afghan or Iraqi special immigrant.
- Admitted as an Afghan humanitarian parolee.
- Admitted as an Afghan non-special immigrant parolee.
- Admitted as a Ukrainian humanitarian parolee.
For the full breakdown of eligibility for noncitizens who can collect SSI benefits, click here. Newsweek has contacted the SSA for comment via email outside normal working hours.
In a 2007 paper regarding the effects of unauthorized migration on the Social Security system, the Congressional Budget Office said, "Most unauthorized immigrants are prohibited from receiving many of the benefits that the federal government provides through Social Security and such need-based programs as food stamps, Medicaid (other than emergency services), and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families."
The Ruling
Needs Context.
Immigrants living in the U.S. legally can collect Social Security benefits, provided they meet specific criteria surrounding work credits and the thresholds for collecting SSI, the SSA has explained.
While immigrants who entered the U.S. illegally can collect SSI benefits in some circumstances—including if they are granted asylum—they are prohibited from receiving most other federal benefits.
FACT CHECK BY NEWSWEEK
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Aliss Higham is a Newsweek reporter based in Glasgow, Scotland. Her focus is reporting on issues across the U.S., including ... Read more
