The state of California is facing a federal investigation after the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) raised concerns over a program that may have funneled welfare benefits—meant for U.S. citizens—to undocumented immigrants.
At the center of the controversy is California’s Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants (CAPI), which provides aid to individuals who are not eligible for Social Security due to their immigration status. According to DHS, this program could be in direct violation of a Trump-era executive order that bans Social Security payouts to undocumented individuals.
In a formal statement, DHS revealed that ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Los Angeles Field Office issued a subpoena for records from Los Angeles County’s Department of Public Social Services, which administers the program. The aim is to determine whether individuals without legal status have received Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits, going back to January 2021.
This move follows an executive order issued by President Trump on April 15, 2025, titled the Memorandum Preventing Illegal Aliens from Obtaining Social Security Act Benefits. The order directs multiple federal agencies—including Homeland Security, Labor, Health and Human Services, the Social Security Administration, and the Department of Justice—to ensure that undocumented immigrants are not accessing Social Security funds. The directive also calls for legal action against any state or local governments found in violation.
DHS pointed a finger at the Biden administration for allowing the problem to grow, stating that in fiscal year 2024 alone, more than 2 million undocumented immigrants were issued Social Security Numbers—a move critics say opens the door to abuse of federal benefits.
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem didn’t mince words, criticizing California’s leadership for placing non-citizens ahead of its own residents. “Radical left politicians in California are giving away taxpayer-funded cash benefits to illegal immigrants, while hard-working citizens are left behind,” Noem said.
She went on to deliver a clear message: the days of undocumented immigrants receiving federal welfare benefits are over. “If you’re here illegally, it’s time to leave. This subpoena in L.A. County is just the beginning,” she warned.
The investigation is expected to broaden to other counties and possibly lead to legal action. As DHS pushes forward, former ICE Director Tom Homan also weighed in, warning that legal consequences could be coming for state officials who knowingly violated federal law.