Posts Misrepresent Immigrants’ Eligibility for Social Security Numbers, Benefits
Facts And Fact Checking,Social Media,Migrants,Social Security
The flow of immigrants across the southern border hit a record high at the end of 2023, the Pew Research Center reported, and immigration has become a dominant issue in this election season. But, as we’ve written, politicians and social media posts have spread misinformation exaggerating immigration numbers and distorting the political impact of immigrants in the U.S.
Another persistent yet false claim about immigrants in the country illegally and Social Security benefits is also circulating again. Immigrants who are not authorized to be in the United States are not eligible for such benefits, as we’ve previously written.
An April 12 Facebook post, however, claims, “Illegal immigrants get BOTH social security numbers AND Social Security BENEFITS!! This massive story has been BURIED by the mainstream media!! This information can now be found right on the government’s website. If social security — that we as taxpayers have paid into our entire lives — is ‘broke’… then why are we expanding benefits to those are not citizens and not here legally???”
A nearly identical claim was posted on Instagram and received more than 2,500 likes.
