When Veronica Sanchez called a Social Security hotline Thursday, she waited two hours before her call was abruptly disconnected. On Friday, she was on hold for six hours and still did not get through to anyone. Elderly and disabled people " and those who care for them " are encountering a knot of bureaucratic hurdles and service disruptions after the Trump administration imposed a sweeping overhaul of the Social Security Administration system. No field offices in California have closed. But there is rising frustration across Southern California and the nation as many seniors experience crashed webpages, endure jammed phone lines and are turned away at offices. Social Security officials have downplayed the problems and said some of the issues predate the Trump administration and the government efficiency push headed by Elon Musk.
Social Security employees handed out a flier with a phone number and a QR code that people could scan with their phones to make an appointment. But the website kept returning an error message.
Advocates for seniors say challenges accessing Social Security help were compounded in March when the Trump administration announced new online verification procedures that resulted in many elderly and disabled Americans being unable to use their personal "my Social Security" account.
"The system is a shambles," said Gevorg Adjian, the founder of All Seniors Foundation, a nonprofit organization in Los Angeles that offers free medical care, supplies, and healthcare services for seniors.
After sending out a letter last month urging people having trouble with the online system to come on in, Adjian said, the administration then eliminated any kind of walk-in appointments.
Trump Invalidates Social Security Numbers of Immigrants
"The Social Security Administration this week began to classify thousands of immigrants with temporary legal status and Social Security numbers as dead."
"The move essentially cancels an immigrant's Social Security number and is equivalent to a financial death, as financial institutions rely on updated Social Security data to verify identities and deaths and may cut off access for these individuals."
Link: politicalwire.com
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