Bush Illegal Immigrant Proposal Could Force Benefit Cuts, Higher Taxes (Press Release)
Alexandria, VA (January 20, 2004) -- A proposal by President Bush to give illegal immigrant workers temporary legal status would put the Social Security benefits of current senior citizens at risk, warns a national senior advocacy organization. "Adding millions of illegal immigrants and their dependents to Social Security would put a sudden huge new burden on a program that's not sustainable for much longer now," declares George Smith, Chairman of TREA Senior Citizens League (TSCL). "Our government could be forced to cut Cost-of-Living Adjustments (COLAs) or other benefits, and increase the taxes of Americans who worked and paid into Social Security legally," Smith states.
Under the plan recently announced by President Bush, immigrant workers -- including some who entered the country illegally -- would gain access to Social Security benefits.(1) President Bush also proposed a totalization agreement with Mexico that would allow immigrant Mexican workers to total the hours worked in both countries in order to become eligible for benefits under one of the two systems. As Congressman Tom Tancredo (R-CO) put it in an October 2003 letter to TSCL, "it (a Totalization treaty) will pay Social Security retirement benefits to Mexican citizens based on work they performed while in the U.S. illegally -- thus rewarding illegal behavior."
The potential cost of the proposals, however, is not fully known. According to a March 2003 report by the Social Security Inspector General, wages reported under an invalid name or Social Security number -- most of which are thought to be from illegal immigrant workers -- totaled about $374 billion through 2000.(2) The Inspector General says current Social Security policy allows for the reinstatement of earnings if an immigrant worker later receives a valid Social Security number and can prove the former earnings while illegal are his.(3) According to the Inspector General "if an amnesty and/or totalization agreement occurs, the Social Security Administration potentially may need to reinstate a large volume of wages based on unauthorized work."(4)
TSCL was the first seniors' organization to go on record opposing a totalization agreement with Mexico and amnesty plans for illegal immigrants. "Our government should not reward someone for breaking the law," Smith asserts. "TSCL supports legislation that would prohibit the government from paying benefits based on work while in this country illegally. We urge seniors to contact their Members of Congress to protest this giveaway of their retirement security. Tell them you oppose any amnesty or totalization agreement that would reward illegal immigrants with your Social Security benefits." Smith declares.
TSCL is a national group of politically active seniors concerned about the protection of their earned Social Security, Medicare, military, and other retirement benefits. TSCL members participate in a number of grassroots lobbying and public education campaigns designed to ensure governmental bodies, including the Social Security Administration and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, live up to their commitments. For more free information on our organization, please contact TREA Senior Citizens League, Department S706X, 909 N. Washington St., Suite 300, Alexandria, VA 22314, or visit our website at: www.tscl.org.
(1) Bush Outlines New Proposal For Undocumented Workers, Greg Hitt, The Wall Street Journal, January 8, 2004.
(2) Social Security Administration Benefits Related to Unauthorized Work, James. G. Juse, Jr., Social Security Office of Inspector General, March 2003, page 1.
(3) Ibid, page 7.
(4) Ibid, page 12.
Distributed by The Senior Exchange, Inc.
Serving The Mature American With Timely, Low-Cost,
Self-Help Information
February 2004
Alexandria, VA (January 20, 2004) -- A proposal by President Bush to give illegal immigrant workers temporary legal status would put the Social Security benefits of current senior citizens at risk, warns a national senior advocacy organization. "Adding millions of illegal immigrants and their dependents to Social Security would put a sudden huge new burden on a program that's not sustainable for much longer now," declares George Smith, Chairman of TREA Senior Citizens League (TSCL). "Our government could be forced to cut Cost-of-Living Adjustments (COLAs) or other benefits, and increase the taxes of Americans who worked and paid into Social Security legally," Smith states.
Under the plan recently announced by President Bush, immigrant workers -- including some who entered the country illegally -- would gain access to Social Security benefits.(1) President Bush also proposed a totalization agreement with Mexico that would allow immigrant Mexican workers to total the hours worked in both countries in order to become eligible for benefits under one of the two systems. As Congressman Tom Tancredo (R-CO) put it in an October 2003 letter to TSCL, "it (a Totalization treaty) will pay Social Security retirement benefits to Mexican citizens based on work they performed while in the U.S. illegally -- thus rewarding illegal behavior."
The potential cost of the proposals, however, is not fully known. According to a March 2003 report by the Social Security Inspector General, wages reported under an invalid name or Social Security number -- most of which are thought to be from illegal immigrant workers -- totaled about $374 billion through 2000.(2) The Inspector General says current Social Security policy allows for the reinstatement of earnings if an immigrant worker later receives a valid Social Security number and can prove the former earnings while illegal are his.(3) According to the Inspector General "if an amnesty and/or totalization agreement occurs, the Social Security Administration potentially may need to reinstate a large volume of wages based on unauthorized work."(4)
TSCL was the first seniors' organization to go on record opposing a totalization agreement with Mexico and amnesty plans for illegal immigrants. "Our government should not reward someone for breaking the law," Smith asserts. "TSCL supports legislation that would prohibit the government from paying benefits based on work while in this country illegally. We urge seniors to contact their Members of Congress to protest this giveaway of their retirement security. Tell them you oppose any amnesty or totalization agreement that would reward illegal immigrants with your Social Security benefits." Smith declares.
TSCL is a national group of politically active seniors concerned about the protection of their earned Social Security, Medicare, military, and other retirement benefits. TSCL members participate in a number of grassroots lobbying and public education campaigns designed to ensure governmental bodies, including the Social Security Administration and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, live up to their commitments. For more free information on our organization, please contact TREA Senior Citizens League, Department S706X, 909 N. Washington St., Suite 300, Alexandria, VA 22314, or visit our website at: www.tscl.org.
(1) Bush Outlines New Proposal For Undocumented Workers, Greg Hitt, The Wall Street Journal, January 8, 2004.
(2) Social Security Administration Benefits Related to Unauthorized Work, James. G. Juse, Jr., Social Security Office of Inspector General, March 2003, page 1.
(3) Ibid, page 7.
(4) Ibid, page 12.
Distributed by The Senior Exchange, Inc.
Serving The Mature American With Timely, Low-Cost,
Self-Help Information
February 2004