The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has said it is not closing any Social Security field offices after a U.S. senator said the unofficial government agency is intentionally attempting to stop Americans receiving benefits.
Why It Matters
DOGE, which has been working at the direction of President Donald Trump to cut waste and fraud at numerous federal agencies, has listed 47 SSA field office leases set to end across the country. The SSA has around 1,230 field offices across the U.S. in total.
What To Know
Writing on X, formerly Twitter, Democratic Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock of Georgia wrote: “DOGE closed 5 social security offices in GA a couple weeks ago. Now, they’re telling Georgia seniors they can’t use the phone to claim benefits either.” Earlier this week, the SSA announced it would end identity verification services from being offered over the phone, meaning those who cannot prove who they are online will be required to visit a field office.
“Let’s call this what it is: An intentional attempt to stop folks from claiming benefits they’ve EARNED,” Warnock posted.
But DOGE has disputed his post, writing in response: “This post is inaccurate. @SocialSecurity is not closing any field sites in Georgia or elsewhere. The confusion likely arises from the closure of 5 permanent remote hearing sites (PRSs)—single rooms within field sites used for hearings.
“Since most hearings are now virtual, these PRSs are unnecessary. Field sites remain open, and Social Security has no plans to close any public-facing sites nationwide.”
Newsweek has contacted DOGE and Warnock for comment via email outside of regular working hours.
However, on its website, DOGE has posted a list of some 800 federal real estate leases it is seeking to cancel. Among them are, according to findings made by The Associated Press, 47 offices listed for closure, 26 of which are expected to shutter this year—including one in Columbus, Georgia, which is listed to close on September 30.
GETTY
According to a report by The Associated Press, an SSA spokesperson said earlier in March that most of the leases not being renewed are for spaces used for in-person hearings, which are no longer necessary due to the majority of them now being held online.
Warnock is not the only lawmaker to express frustration over SSA office closures. Republican Representative Mike Lawler of New York said a decision to close an office in the Lower Hudson Valley was a “slap in the face to thousands of my constituents who rely on these services.”
He also pointed out the closure was initiated under the Biden administration, and that he wrote to acting commissioner Leland Dudek regarding the matter earlier this month.
Last month, New York Attorney General Letitia James urged the federal government to keep SSA locations open in the state. In a post to X, James said: “Protecting access to social security and the rights of New Yorkers must be a principle that all in public service support.”
What People Are Saying
Senator Raphael Warnock in his post on X: “Let’s call this what it is: An intentional attempt to stop folks from claiming benefits they’ve EARNED.”
Representative Mike Lawler in a post on X: “The decision to close the only Social Security Hearing Office in the Hudson Valley is a slap in the face to thousands of my constituents who rely on these services. Concerns about mold don’t justify abandoning folks in the Lower Hudson Valley.”
In a post to X, Letitia James said in February: “Protecting access to social security and the rights of New Yorkers must be a principle that all in public service support.”
What Happens Next
DOGE work is continuing at the agency, making cuts to several departments and cutting back on its workforce.