DHS investigates California for program that provides cash benefits to non-citizens

Nearly a month after President Trump signed an executive order to prevent undocumented immigrants from obtaining Social Security benefits, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is investigating the State of California.

DHS, through ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Los Angeles Field Office, has subpoenaed California’s Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants (CAPI), designed to provide monthly cash benefits to aged, blind or disabled non-citizens. This group of people are ineligible to receive Supplemental Security Income/State Supplementary Payment (SSI/SSP) due to their immigration status. 

The subpoena by HSI requests all records from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Social Services (CDSS)—who administers the state program—to determine if ineligible undocumented immigrants received Supplemental Security Income (SSI) from the Social Security Administration between January 2021 to present.

Through the subpoena, HSI is requesting personal information of the applicants, such as their name and date of birth, immigration status, proof of Ineligibility for SSI from the Social Security Administration and affidavits in support of the application.

Trump said that the Memorandum Preventing Illegal Aliens from Obtaining Social Security Act Benefits will stop incentivizing illegal immigration and protect taxpayer dollars. 

The memorandum directs different departments to ensure ineligible immigrants do not receive funds from Social Security programs and prioritize civil or criminal enforcement against states or localities for potential violations of Title IV of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA).

State and County respond

In response to the investigation, Jason Montiel, spokesperson with CDSS, which oversees CAPI, said that they are reviewing the request regarding the program administered by Los Angeles County. 

CDSS states that the program is not generally available to undocumented Californians. The program, created in 1998 under Governor Pete Wilson, is a state version of the federal SSI program and is available for the aged, blind or disabled with legal protections, lawful status or in the process of applying for either, including victims of crime and trafficking. 

CDSS said during fiscal year 2024-25, the program served 16,556 people.

At the local level, Los Angeles County Supervisor Holly Mitchell said CAPI is funded entirely by the State of California and fills critical gaps in the safety net that would otherwise leave behind seniors and people who are blind or have other disabilities. 

“L.A. County is focused on continuing to provide social services that make all of our communities better off, regardless of the latest efforts by the federal administration to scare and target some of our most vulnerable residents,” said Mitchell, who represents the Second District. 

L.A. County Supervisor Hilda Solis said CAPI has clear state guidelines for individuals who have built lives here, pay taxes and contribute every day to the strength and vitality of their communities. 

“The people served by this program are either in this country legally, or are not being pursued for deportation, as they are victims of serious crimes like human trafficking and domestic violence and have been systematically excluded from federal assistance because they are not citizens,” said Solis, who represents the First District. “California stepped in to ensure that no one is left behind simply because of their immigration status.”

Solis went to say that the Trump administration is unjustly targeting Los Angeles County for a program that does not use federal funding. She said the subpoena by Homeland Security (HSI) is designed to incite fear and mistrust within our communities

“The investigation into our Department of Public Social Services' role in administering CAPI is an invasive move that disregards privacy and due process under the guise of protecting taxpayer dollars,” said Solis. “Los Angeles County is being singled out not for misconduct, but for fulfilling its role as a safety net for all residents.”