Thread: U.S. - Mexico Totalization Agreement

This article was posted on Yahoo News today. Apparently the U.S. - Mexico Totalization Agreement is being addressed in tandem with the Illegal Immigration Reformation Bill. Personally, I was under the impression that Social Security was for the retirement years of U.S. Citizens who had paid into the system. With the survival of our Social Security benefits already in question, I don't think it should be doled out to people who don't pay into it! What do you think?

Here is the link to the article, which I have also copied below:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/usnw/20070524/p ... study_says

Copy of the article:
WASHINGTON, May 24 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Social Security "Totalization Agreement" between the U.S. and Mexico, which has already been signed between the two nations and is awaiting the President's signature, would cost the United States an estimated $207 billion through 2040, according to a new study conducted by TREA Senior Citizens League.


The Totalization Agreement could make as many as 1.6 million Mexican workers and dependents eligible for U.S. Social Security benefits by 2040. Dependent family members could be eligible for benefits without having ever worked in -- or even having visited -- the United States.


The majority of Social Security benefits would go to Mexicans who performed illegal work in the United States. However, their dependents -- possibly including a spouse, divorced spouse, widows or widowers, minor and disabled adult children, and dependent parents -- are also eligible for benefits, and could increase the cost of totalized retiree benefits by as much as 50 percent.


In December 2006, TREA Senior Citizens League received the first known public copy of the U.S.-Mexico Totalization Agreement, 3 1/2 years after its initial request under the Freedom of Information Act.


A Totalization Agreement is intended to eliminate dual taxation for persons who work outside their country of origin. Under the U.S.-Mexico agreement, a Mexican worker would be able to receive "totalized" Social Security benefits with as little as 18 months of work; American workers must work at least 10 years to qualify for benefits.


"To put this in context, $207 billion is more than half of what we've spent on the Iraqi war -- and instead of giving these billions to illegal workers, we should be preserving it for Americans who were promised that it would be there for their retirement years," said Shannon Benton, executive director of TREA Senior Citizens League.


There are at least three ways Mexican workers who perform illegal work in the U.S. could benefit from such an agreement:

1. "Non-work" Social Security Numbers: Between 1974 and 2003, the Social Security Administration issued more than seven million "non-work"
Social Security numbers; an estimated 827,200 Mexican citizens used
those numbers to work illegally and would be eligible for benefits
under a Totalization Agreement by 2040.

2. Visa Overstayers: Non-citizens who were granted temporary work
authorization but then overstayed their visas and continued to work in
the United States could receive credit for their illegal work under a
Totalization Agreement.

3. Illegal Aliens: Mexican workers who entered the United States illegally
on or after January 1, 2004 and work for at least 18 months would
receive totalized credits for their unlawful work if immigration
amnesty passes and they gain work authorization. The study estimates
that another 809,175 Mexicans would become entitled to totalized
benefits under immigration amnesty.


The agreement between the U.S. and Mexico was signed in June 2004, and is awaiting President Bush's signature. Once President Bush approves the agreement, which would be done without Congressional vote, either House of Congress would have 60 days to disapprove the agreement by voting to reject it.


With 1.2 million members, TREA Senior Citizens League is one of the nation's largest nonpartisan seniors groups. Visit http://www.SeniorsLeague.org to read the full press release and study.


SOURCE TREA Senior Citizens League

Hell no they don't deserve it, you go seniors!!!!


Come on everyone lets get our voices heard, time to get involved, calls, faxes e-mails and post at this link and let everyone know what you are hearing. Lets let congress know what real Americans Want!!

http://www.alipac.us/modules.php?name=F ... c&p=363412

Check out Operation Bring it Home also and get your home towns involved!!

http://www.alipac.us/modules.php?name=F ... ic&t=63288

If anyone can't find information for contacting senators or not sure what to do just ask, someone will help you, We got lots 0f nice people here

We need to make sure this doesn't slip between the cracks, while they've got us occupied with illegal immigration.

Also in this current bill is the DREAM Act, which gives illegal aliens the right to in-state tuition rates and gives them legal status. We need to let our reps know that we don't want either of these.

They won't be satisfied till they've given away our entire country!