DHS officials stated that additional steps will be decided based on the results of the initial document examination, however it is yet unclear if the present inquiry will result in civil or criminal prosecution.
In a federal investigation into whether unauthorized immigrants have received Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits in contravention of federal law.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has subpoenaed the State of California.
Records from California’s Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants (CAPI) are the subject of the subpoena.
Which was issued by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Los Angeles Field Office.
According to a DHS press release issued Monday morning, the subpoena requires the Los Angeles County Department of Public Social Services to provide records pertaining to those who have been enrolled in CAPI since 2021.
The goal of the investigation is to ascertain whether taxpayer-funded SSI payments were made to people who are not eligible for federal benefits due to their immigration status.
Among the records that have been requested are:
Full name and birthdate of the applicant
Application form copies
Documentation of immigration status
Evidence of Social Security Administration ineligibility for federal SSI benefits
Affidavits provided for every application
For some immigrants who meet all other program requirements but are not eligible for federal SSI because of their immigration status, the CAPI program offers monthly cash benefits.
Since President Donald Trump returned to office earlier this year, this investigation represents the first known federal subpoena of its kind.
In her official statement Monday, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem warned that DHS will take aggressive action against states that continue to provide financial incentives to people living in the country illegally.
“California’s radical left politicians put illegal aliens ahead of their own citizens, even granting them access to cash benefits,” Noem stated.
“To ensure that individuals who are in this country illegally are not receiving federal benefits or other financial incentives to stay illegally.
The Trump Administration is collaborating to identify abuse and exploitation of public benefits.”
“You should depart right away if you are an undocumented immigrant. It’s the end of the gravy train. Even though this subpoena is limited to Los Angeles County, she continued, “it is only the beginning.”
President Trump signed an executive order banning illegal immigrants from getting Social Security payments a few weeks prior to this action. In addition to authorizing legal action against localities found to be in breach.
That order instructs the DHS Secretary to work with the Department of Justice and the Social Security Administration to guarantee that only qualified individuals get federal benefits.
President Trump just signed an order to stop illegal immigrants from obtaining benefits under the Social Security Act and prioritize enforcement actions.
Here is the text:
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of…
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) April 15, 2025
The subpoena has not yet received a public response from Los Angeles County, which is in charge of local CAPI administration.
Additionally, Sacramento state officials have not issued a statement responding to the DHS request or stating if they intend to comply.
The main focus of the federal government’s investigation is whether Title 8 of the U.S. Code, which specifies limitations on public assistance for non-citizens.
Has been violated as a result of inappropriate coordination between state-level programs and federal benefit eligibility rules.
The current enforcement approach of the Trump administration suggests that more subpoenas or legal actions, possibly aimed at other states or counties with comparable aid programs, may be forthcoming.
DHS said the CAPI probe is part of a larger national effort to enhance accountability among states that administer assistance programs and to prevent unauthorized access to federal public benefits.