What happens to Social Security payments if you are deported or expelled from the U.S.?

More than 74 million people receive monthly payments from the Social Security Administration (SSA). Beneficiaries include retired workers as well as individuals covered by Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI).

Doubts over deported SS payments

Once you apply for benefits, payments are sent automatically to the registered bank account. To streamline distribution, the SSA issues deposits according to the beneficiary’s date of birth – except for retirees before 1997 and SSI recipients, who receive their money during the first days of the month regardless of their birthday. But what happens when a person is deported or expelled from the United States? Do payments still go through?

In the US, some immigrants are eligible to receive monthly Social Security payments, provided they meet certain requirements. However, under President Trump’s strict immigration policies, a significant number have been deported or expelled. According to the SSA, if a Social Security beneficiary is “deported or removed from the United States for any reason, their benefits will stop.”

Can my family collect my benefits if I’m deported?

Payments will only be reinstated once the beneficiary is able to legally return to the United States as a permanent resident. Dependents of deported individuals may still collect benefits, but only if they are US citizens. The SSA is clear: dependents will be paid “only if they remain in the US for the entire month.” The agency further warns, “We will not pay benefits for any month in which you spend part of the month outside the US.”

Currently, immigrants can receive Social Security benefits for a limited period of time thanks to the so-called seven-year rule, as long as they fall within certain classifications established by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), according to official SSA information.

If you are an immigrant and fall into one of these categories, check the list of requirements here: The seven-year rule for migrants in the US who want to receive Social Security payments.

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