Department of Homeland Security subpoenas California's assistance program for illegal immigrants

The Department of Homeland Security announced Monday that it has subpoenaed California's Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants to investigate whether ineligible illegal immigrants received payments from the Social Security Administration since January 2021.

California's program, CAPI, "is a 100 percent state-funded program designed to provide monthly cash benefits to aged, blind, and disabled non-citizens who are ineligible for Supplemental Security Income/State Supplementary Payment (SSI/SSP) solely due to their immigration status," according to California Department of Social Services' website.

DHS is requesting records from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Social Services, which administers CAPI, that includes applicant’s name and date of birth, application copies, immigration status, proof of ineligibility for SSI from the Social Security Administration, and affidavits in support of the application.

CAPI requires recipients to be non-citizens who have been paroled, lawfully admitted into the U.S., granted conditional entry, or whose removal has been withheld.

“Radical left politicians in California prioritize illegal aliens over our own citizens, including by giving illegal aliens access to cash benefits,” DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said in a statement on Monday.

“The Trump Administration is working together to identify abuse and exploitation of public benefits and make sure those in this country illegally are not receiving federal benefits or other financial incentives to stay illegally. If you are an illegal immigrant, you should leave now. The gravy train is over. While this subpoena focuses only on Los Angeles County – it is just the beginning.”

There were more than 2 million ineligible illegal immigrants who received a Social Security Number in fiscal year 2024 alone, according to DHS.