Every month, millions of American citizens receive Social Security benefits, either because they are retirees or because it is one of the most important social benefit systems in the country, and one of the richest in the world. Of course, a strong and sovereign nation like the United States could not have a retirement and pension system that is neither sustainable nor fragile.
But, since Donald Trump returned to the White House, and brought Elon Musk with him, the Social Security Administration (SSA) is in the crosshairs of the cut plans that it is carrying out in its “secretary”, known as DOGE (an allusion to a cryptocurrency in which he has participated). From eliminating thousands of jobs to closing dozens of offices, Musk and DOGE could cause a “disaster in the making,” according to some officials.
DOGE cuts to Social Security: How this affects you
The cuts planned by the federal government, which include the elimination of 7,000 job positions (12% of the workforce) and the closure of offices, are causing delays in the processing of benefits, such as SSDI and SSI applications, with wait times of up to 370 days in some cases, such as in the state of Georgia where increases in wait times have now been reported between the time a beneficiary applies for benefits, then they are approved, and then they begin to be sent.
This affects more than 72.5 million beneficiaries, especially the 11 million with disabilities who depend on these programs for basic needs, such as Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). Reducing services could lead to interruptions or erroneous suspensions in payments, which would be catastrophic for those who cannot afford the essentials without these benefits, such as the 42% of those over 65 who receive these payments and for whom they are their main income.
Who commits Social Security fraud? DOGE says they are “massive”
Musk has justified the cuts by alleging massive fraud, such as payments to deceased people, but Acting SSA Commissioner Leland Dudek has denied these claims, showing that actual fraud is minimal. This sparks debate about whether the cuts are truly about efficiency or cutting spending, disproportionately affecting the most vulnerable.
Office closures are also reported to impact rural areas, forcing beneficiaries to travel long distances for their procedures and applications. DOGE has reportedly closed at least six of the regional offices it is targeting, and in many of those that remain open it has eliminated overtime and frozen new hires, especially in Disability Determination Services (DDS), impacting claims processing.
Entire offices have been eliminated, such as Civil Rights, responsible for discrimination cases and accommodations for blind employees, and contracts, such as those for medical experts for disability hearings and maintenance services, have been canceled. As you can imagine, this has caused cancellations of hearings, including critical cases such as terminal illnesses in patients who need the income to survive in the last moments of their lives.
The list of Social Security offices expected to close in 2025
- Alabama
- 634 Broad St., Gadsden: September 30
- Arkansas
- 965 Holiday Drive, Forrest City: April 25
- 4083 Jefferson Ave., Texarkana: May 25
- Colorado
- 825 N. Crest Drive, Grand Junction: June 21
- Florida
- 4740 Dairy Road, Melbourne: May 16
- Georgia
- 1338 Broadway, Columbus: September 30
- Kentucky
- 825 High St., Hazard: April 24
- Louisiana
- 178 Civic Center Drive, Houma: April 25
- Mississippi
- 4717 26th St., Meridian: June 1
- 604 Yalobusha St., Greenwood: June 1
- 2383 Sunset Drive, Granada: May 1
- Montana
- 3701 American Way, Missoula: June 21
- North Carolina
- 730 Roanoke Ave., Roanoke Rapids: August 1
- 2123 Lakeside Drive, Franklin: June 23
- 2805 Charles Blvd., Greenville: June 24
- 1865 W. City Drive, Elizabeth City: June 24
- North Dakota
- 1414 20th Ave. SW, Minot: June 21
- Nevada
- 701 Bridger Ave., Las Vegas: June 1
- New York
- 75 S. Broadway, White Plains: May 31
- 332 Main St., Poughkeepsie: May 31
- Ohio
- 30 N. Diamond St., Mansfield: May 17
- Oklahoma
- 1610 SW Lee Blvd., Lawton: April 25
- Texas
- 1122 N. University Drive, Nacogdoches: May 7
- 8208 NE Zac Lentz Parkway, May 25
- West Virginia
- 1103 George Kostas Drive, Logan: April 30
- Wyoming
- 79 Winston Drive, Rock Springs: June 20
For Leland Dudek, these changes are led by DOGE “outsiders” who understand little or nothing about how the Social Security Administration works, and who are not familiar with the nuances of the program and its complex structures, which increases the risk of errors and chaos.
Another official we spoke to told us that Musk’s cuts to the SSA are “a disaster in the making” and that there are potential for severe benefit distribution problems in the short term. We will see if these warning voices become real or if they will remain as a scare that never ended up happening.
