The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced on Monday that it will investigate California for allegedly providing federal benefits to undocumented immigrants.
DHS has issued a Title 8 subpoena to California’s Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants (CAPI), which offers benefits to those ineligible for Social Security. The subpoena seeks records from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Services (DPSS) aimed at identifying ineligible individuals who received Supplemental Security Income (SSI) from the Social Security Administration since January 2021.
“Radical left politicians in California prioritize illegal aliens over our citizens by making cash benefits accessible to them,” a DHS statement said. “The Trump administration is focused on identifying abuse and ensuring that those in this country do not improperly access federal benefits. If you are an undocumented immigrant, it’s time to leave. The benefits are ending.”
According to the DHS, over 2 million undocumented immigrants received Social Security numbers illegally during the Biden administration in 2024 alone.
The CAPI program is fully federally funded, and benefits are not typically available to undocumented Californians, a spokesperson for the California Department of Human Services noted in a statement. Los Angeles County, which oversees the program for the state, did not respond to a comment request.
California spends billions on programs aimed at attracting undocumented immigrants, allocating $8.4 billion for Fiscal Year 2024-2025 on health care for these individuals.
The DHS investigation ties back to directives issued by President Donald Trump aimed at curbing Social Security benefits for undocumented immigrants. Last month, the Labor Department instructed governors nationwide to take action to prevent undocumented immigrants from claiming unemployment benefits or accessing federal grants.
Additionally, South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem announced that her office is working to identify undocumented immigrants holding U.S. Social Security numbers and will cancel benefits for those with criminal records or on FBI watch lists.
