Thread: Social SecurityAgreement with Mexco still pending...

TSCL Files Third FOIA Lawsuit | Print | E-mail

Like the enormous sword of Greek legend hanging by a single hair above the head of Damocles, the U.S. Totalization agreement with Mexico continues to remain hanging over our nation’s Social Security program. The agreement has not yet undergone final approval, but its fate has far-reaching implications for the benefits of 53 million U.S. Social Security beneficiaries.

Last year, the Social Security Trust Fund fell into deficit, paying out more than received in revenues for the first time since 1983. The new incoming Congress will undoubtedly consider long-term proposals that would cut Social Security benefits. But at the same time, Totalization with Mexico would add potentially millions of new beneficiaries to the rolls — beneficiaries whose checks are based, at least in part, on illegal work.

Incredibly, according to a legal opinion obtained by TSCL in 2009, Totalization with Mexico may give Mexican immigrants greater rights to U.S. Social Security benefits than U.S. senior citizens currently enjoy. The proposed U.S./Mexico Totalization Agreement would be based on a contractual promise made by the United States government for the benefit of individual Mexican workers who qualify for U.S. Social Security benefits under the terms of that agreement.

Sign TSCL's petition protesting the U.S./Mexico Totalization Agreement now!

In contrast, the Social Security benefits of American workers, are not guaranteed by law. In the Supreme Court decision, Fleming vs. Nestor, the court found that Congress can make adjustments when conditions of the Social Security systems demand and that American workers who have paid their employment taxes have no legal recourse to any of the money deposited in the Social Security Trust Fund.

Totalization agreements allow workers who divide their careers between two countries to combine earnings credits under both systems in order to qualify for benefits. The U.S. currently has 24 such agreements, most with nations having economies similar to our own. What makes the agreement with Mexico so controversial are the millions of Mexicans working in this country without legal authorization.

A 2004 law forbids the payment of Social Security benefits to illegal immigrants in the U.S. unless they receive legal work authorization at some point. The scope of that law appears much more vague under Totalization. It appears that illegal Mexican workers would only need to return to Mexico to file a claim for benefits. Under current policy, once a worker becomes eligible for Social Security, the U.S. Social Security Administration determines entitlement based on all earnings, even from jobs worked illegally.

TSCL continues to fight the agreement and supports measures that would block it from taking effect should it be sent to Congress for approval. TSCL continues to educate new lawmakers about the issue and recently filed a third Freedom of Information Act lawsuit to force the U.S. government to release documents related to the agreement, include those concerning the estimated cost to the Social Security Trust Fund.

Sources: Social Security Benefits for Noncitizens: Congressional Research Service, July 20, 2006, RL32004.

http://www.seniorsleague.org//index.php ... &Itemid=96



and here is the link to the petition

Petition to Congress Protesting Illegal Alien Amnesty 'Guest Worker' Legislation and U.S. Social Security Totalization With Mexico

We, The Undersigned, urge that you do everything possible to STOP both illegal alien Amnesty "guest worker" legislation and the U.S. Social Security Totalization Agreement with Mexico.

Both of these would allow illegal immigrants, mostly from Mexico, to gain legal status and access to Social Security benefits. Worse, under both, these persons would be able to claim benefits for their relatives, children and other dependents, and our government has NO IDEA of the cost!

Given the problems already facing Social Security, ANY new outlays will only speed up the day when benefits will be cut and taxed. You MUST stop these two outrageous attacks on Social Security.



http://www.tscl.org/action/illegalamnesty.asp


Kathyet

Its nonsense to allow someone else's payments to another country in taxes to count towards our social security. Worse is we have exemptions in our SS system that if an immigrant recieves permanent status they are granted free credits based on their age on the assumption they paid into a similiar program in their home country.

SS wouldn't be in such a problematic state yet if those who shouldn't be getting didn't get it. Likely least 10-15% of SS payments aren't proper credit deals.

I also wonder how much of SS is still going out to people who died being kept alive by family members since all you have to do is sign a paper saying the person is still alive.

You know what's sad about all this is that legal Social Security recipients, those who worked and put into the system, did not get a raise for several years and have been denied a raise again this year. Congress also effectively blocked a one-time $250 payment to elders. In the meantime, the government seems to lavish benefits on people not here legally and did not legally put into the system. What a shame!

Someone told me about a Mexican family whose father died. He was a legal citizen. The family buried him in the backyard and took over his identity. From what I understand of the story, the father would be over 100 years old today and yet the family is still collecting benefits.

Originally Posted by keekee

You know what's sad about all this is that legal Social Security recipients, those who worked and put into the system, did not get a raise for several years and have been denied a raise again this year. Congress also effectively blocked a one-time $250 payment to elders. In the meantime, the government seems to lavish benefits on people not here legally and did not legally put into the system. What a shame!

Same issue for veterans and disabled vets like myself. No COLA while so many benefits going to those who don't deserve it. Makes me wonder why soldiers like myself even bothered fighting for this country when the majority of people are to cowardly to stand up for whats right and the politicians get rich and abandon the country.

Originally Posted by keekee

Someone told me about a Mexican family whose father died. He was a legal citizen. The family buried him in the backyard and took over his identity. From what I understand of the story, the father would be over 100 years old today and yet the family is still collecting benefits.

Seems to me that is a clear case not NOT letting sleeping dogs lie!!! Time to dig that man up and give him a proper burial, and redistribute some of THAT wealth.


Kathyet

Originally Posted by keekee

You know what's sad about all this is that legal Social Security recipients, those who worked and put into the system, did not get a raise for several years and have been denied a raise again this year. Congress also effectively blocked a one-time $250 payment to elders. In the meantime, the government seems to lavish benefits on people not here legally and did not legally put into the system. What a shame!

CONGRESS DID THE SAME THING THIS PAST YEAR AS FAR AS BLOCKING A ONE TIME 250.00 PAYMENT. BUT, SOME TIME LATER THEY DECIDED TO GIVE THAT PAYMENT TO PEOPLE WHO DON'T QUALIFY FOR EXTRA HELP WITH THEIR MEDICARE PART D PLAN. THEN I READ SOME WHERE THAT IT WAS GIVEN TO SOME OTHER GROUP. IMO, EVERY ONE WHO RECEIVES THESE BENEFITS SHOULD HAVE GOTEN THAT MONEY BECAUSE, ALL THAT RECEIVE IT DIDN'T RECEIVE A COLA. AND I FIND IT KIND OF ODD THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED ON OBAMA'S WATCH. I BELIEVE THEY HAVE BEEN USING MONEY FROM THE TRUST TO HELP TAKE CARE OF ILLEGAL ALIENS. JUST THINK ABOUT THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO PAID INTO THE TRUST, AND DIDN'T LIVE TO GET BACK WHAT THEY HAD PUT IN. THERE IS NO WAY THAT THE SS TRUST SHOULD BE ALMOST BROKE. I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY GAGE THE COST OF LIVING BUT, THE PRICE OF FOOD ALONE SHOULD BE ENOUGH TO SAY THAT A COLA IS NEEDED. THE FEDS ARE TAKING FROM THE AMERICAN CITIZENS IN ORDER TO KEEP PEOPLE COMING HERE ILLEGALLY THEY DON'T GIVE A DAMN ABOUT US AT ALL. FOOD IS NOT THE ONLY THING THAT IS GOING UP IN COST EVERYDAY. THEY SHOULD BE ASHAME OF THEMSELVES BUT THEY ARE NOT.

Originally Posted by kathyet

Originally Posted by keekee

Someone told me about a Mexican family whose father died. He was a legal citizen. The family buried him in the backyard and took over his identity. From what I understand of the story, the father would be over 100 years old today and yet the family is still collecting benefits.

Seems to me that is a clear case not NOT letting sleeping dogs lie!!! Time to dig that man up and give him a proper burial, and redistribute some of THAT wealth.


Kathyet

THESE PEOPLE SHOULD BE IN JAIL, BUT THEY CAN COME HERE AND NOT HAVE TO LIVE BY THE SAME SET OF RULES AND LAWS AS WE THE PEOPLE DO. THEY CAN DO WHAT EVER THEY D**N WELL PLEASE AND GET AWAY WITH IT. IF IT WERE YOU OR I, WE WOULD BE IN A FEDERAL PEN SOME WHERE BUT NOT THEM I'M SICK OF THEM RECEIVING SPECIAL TREATMENT, AND WHY IS IT THAT OUR GOVERNMENT IS KISSING THEIR @ZZ'S ANYWAY

Originally Posted by LadyStClaire

Originally Posted by keekee

You know what's sad about all this is that legal Social Security recipients, those who worked and put into the system, did not get a raise for several years and have been denied a raise again this year. Congress also effectively blocked a one-time $250 payment to elders. In the meantime, the government seems to lavish benefits on people not here legally and did not legally put into the system. What a shame!

CONGRESS DID THE SAME THING THIS PAST YEAR AS FAR AS BLOCKING A ONE TIME 250.00 PAYMENT. BUT, SOME TIME LATER THEY DECIDED TO GIVE THAT PAYMENT TO PEOPLE WHO DON'T QUALIFY FOR EXTRA HELP WITH THEIR MEDICARE PART D PLAN. THEN I READ SOME WHERE THAT IT WAS GIVEN TO SOME OTHER GROUP. IMO, EVERY ONE WHO RECEIVES THESE BENEFITS SHOULD HAVE GOTEN THAT MONEY BECAUSE, ALL THAT RECEIVE IT DIDN'T RECEIVE A COLA. AND I FIND IT KIND OF ODD THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED ON OBAMA'S WATCH. I BELIEVE THEY HAVE BEEN USING MONEY FROM THE TRUST TO HELP TAKE CARE OF ILLEGAL ALIENS. JUST THINK ABOUT THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO PAID INTO THE TRUST, AND DIDN'T LIVE TO GET BACK WHAT THEY HAD PUT IN. THERE IS NO WAY THAT THE SS TRUST SHOULD BE ALMOST BROKE. I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY GAGE THE COST OF LIVING BUT, THE PRICE OF FOOD ALONE SHOULD BE ENOUGH TO SAY THAT A COLA IS NEEDED. THE FEDS ARE TAKING FROM THE AMERICAN CITIZENS IN ORDER TO KEEP PEOPLE COMING HERE ILLEGALLY THEY DON'T GIVE A DAMN ABOUT US AT ALL. FOOD IS NOT THE ONLY THING THAT IS GOING UP IN COST EVERYDAY. THEY SHOULD BE ASHAME OF THEMSELVES BUT THEY ARE NOT.

Ashamed isn't enough they should be put in jail for stealing from the American people I think it is called misappropriation of our tax dollars.


Kathyet

Originally Posted by LadyStClaire

Originally Posted by kathyet

Originally Posted by keekee

Someone told me about a Mexican family whose father died. He was a legal citizen. The family buried him in the backyard and took over his identity. From what I understand of the story, the father would be over 100 years old today and yet the family is still collecting benefits.

Seems to me that is a clear case not NOT letting sleeping dogs lie!!! Time to dig that man up and give him a proper burial, and redistribute some of THAT wealth.


Kathyet

THESE PEOPLE SHOULD BE IN JAIL, BUT THEY CAN COME HERE AND NOT HAVE TO LIVE BY THE SAME SET OF RULES AND LAWS AS WE THE PEOPLE DO. THEY CAN DO WHAT EVER THEY D**N WELL PLEASE AND GET AWAY WITH IT. IF IT WERE YOU OR I, WE WOULD BE IN A FEDERAL PEN SOME WHERE BUT NOT THEM I'M SICK OF THEM RECEIVING SPECIAL TREATMENT, AND WHY IS IT THAT OUR GOVERNMENT IS KISSING THEIR @ZZ'S ANYWAY

How about for the votes!!!!


Kathyet