The Social Security system, already labeled a Ponzi scheme by critics like Elon Musk, is crumbling under the weight of illegal immigrants siphoning off benefits meant for Americans. Musk’s recent claims on Ted Cruz’s podcast highlight a staggering $100 billion to $200 billion drain, with Democrats allegedly enabling this fraud to attract undocumented immigrants. These immigrants are taking entitlements directly from the pockets of American citizens who have paid into the system their entire lives, leaving the program—already projected to deplete its trust fund by 2033—in an even more precarious state. The result is a betrayal of hardworking Americans who are seeing their retirement security eroded by those who, according to this view, have no legal right to these benefits.
 
Undocumented immigrants are accessing Social Security benefits at an alarming rate, exacerbating the system’s financial woes. While they may contribute some taxes—$25.7 billion in 2022, per the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy—they are seen as drawing far more through fraudulent means, creating a net loss for the program. The Federation for American Immigration Reform estimates that illegal immigrants impose a $150.7 billion annual burden on taxpayers, a significant chunk of which impacts Social Security. This drain is particularly devastating as the worker-to-beneficiary ratio declines, with fewer workers supporting an growing number of retirees. The system, already strained by demographic shifts, cannot sustain this additional pressure, leaving American beneficiaries with reduced payouts or delayed benefits.
 
The government’s failure to curb this abuse has dire consequences for Social Security’s future. Policies like the Trump administration’s 2025 memorandum aim to block illegal aliens from accessing benefits, but the damage is already done. Former SSA Commissioner Martin O’Malley has warned that such measures might disrupt benefits for legal recipients, but the priority, in this narrative, is stopping the hemorrhage of funds to undocumented immigrants. The unchecked exploitation by illegal immigrants not only accelerates the depletion of Social Security’s trust fund but also undermines the program’s core promise to Americans: that their contributions will secure their retirement. Without drastic action, this Ponzi scheme will collapse, leaving American retirees to bear the brunt of a system hollowed out by fraud.