Rennie Glasgow, an experienced employee with 15 years of service at the Social Security Administration (SSA), has reported an unusual and concerning trend in his Schenectady, New York office. According to Glasgow, recently there have been multiple instances where individuals have been erroneously marked as deceased in the SSA’s records. This error has led to significant problems for those affected, as they are forced to prove they are alive to reactivate their Social Security benefits. Glasgow highlighted the complexity and the serious implications of these errors, emphasizing that such mistakes can disrupt people’s financial and social lives, severely affecting their access to banking, insurance, and employment.
This issue of incorrect death reports is not isolated to Schenectady but is seemingly part of a larger pattern across upstate New York. The frequency of these occurrences has increased, suggesting a systemic issue within the SSA. Martin O’Malley, a former SSA administrator, also confirmed hearing similar complaints during a town hall meeting in Racine, Wisconsin, indicating that the problem could be widespread.
The origin of these issues appears to stem from recent attempts by SSA’s new leadership to update and modify its databases, which hold records on the living and the deceased, along with details on immigrants’ Social Security numbers. Reports from major publications like The Washington Post and The New York Times suggest that thousands of Social Security numbers belonging to immigrants have been excised from the system. This step is believed to be part of a strategy aimed at pushing these individuals to “self-deport.” Such actions have not only drawn criticism but have led to significant challenges for those affected, disconnecting them from vital economic and social systems.
Indeed, these changes coincide with broader initiatives under the Trump administration, which include efforts to combat fraud and modernize technology within SSA. Nonetheless, feedback from numerous stakeholders—including beneficiaries, advocates, lawyers, and former employees—suggests that these initiatives have made the agency less efficient at performing its primary function: ensuring the timely and accurate distribution of benefits to seniors, widows, orphans, and disabled individuals.
For example, Lisa Seda from Philadelphia has been facing ongoing challenges with the SSA due to administrative issues affecting her niece, who is a recipient of Social Security’s disability insurance. The struggles include unsuccessful attempts to update her niece’s address and resolving unwarranted deductions for Medicare premiums. The inconsistency in the delivery of benefit payments, either through direct deposits or mailed checks, has compounded their difficulties, putting Seda’s niece at risk of homelessness.
Technical issues have also plagued the SSA, with whistleblower reports revealing frequent failures in the agency’s data processing capabilities. These tech glitches have implications for the timely distribution of payments, contributing further to the financial instability faced by beneficiaries. Kathleen Romig, a former SSA employee and current director of Social Security and disability policy at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, pointed out that such technological decay, while incremental, poses a serious risk to the livelihood of millions who rely on these benefits.
As responses from SSA and White House spokespeople remain vague or non-committal, frustration among those affected continues to grow. The lack of clear and actionable responses from government officials only adds to the anxiety and hardship experienced by many relying on SSA benefits. The escalating complaints about delayed payments, as reported by various agencies and legal representatives, highlight an urgent need for comprehensive reform and a reconsideration of the impacts of recent administrative changes.
Overall, the issues at the SSA represent a critical challenge to the administration’s promise of efficiency and accountability. With millions of Americans depending on Social Security for their survival, the potential consequences of administrative dysfunction are too significant to overlook. More than just an administrative hassle, these problems reflect deeper issues within the SSA that require immediate attention and remediation to restore trust and ensure the protection of benefits for all recipients.
