April 17, 2025
Attorney General Bonta has set up a Social Security complaint page “committed to protecting Californians from unlawful actions by the Trump Administration and preserving access to necessary federal programs and benefits—including social security.”
“Your social security benefits should NOT be impacted by President Trump and Elon Musk’s cuts to federal funding and programs. If you experience any disruptions to your social security benefits, please report them to the California Department of Justice. While the California Department of Justice does not represent individuals, this information is vital in assisting in our ongoing investigation into social security disruptions and the impact of federal actions on our state.”
To regisiter your complaint click here.
Also contact your House Representative, or California’s Senators who may be able to assist in the restoration of your social security benefits:
Payroll taxes fund Social Security, which is supported by today’s workers and provides financial assistance to retired and disabled workers. Roughly 6 million Californians receive the benefit, and more than 65 million Americans do in total. “Social Security is an essential program that provides critical support to millions…” a 2023 brief from Stanford University found.
As part of President Donald Trump’s push to slash federal spending, the Social Security Administration said that it would cut 7,000 jobs, or roughly 12% of its overall workforce. It also said it would reorganize its 10 regional offices down to four.
Although most of Bonta’s complaint form applies to those already receiving benefits, many of the reported confusions surrounding the agency’s changes pertain to newly eligible individuals trying to sign up for benefits.
Agency offices, for example, are no longer accepting walk-in appointments. There have also been many reports of people facing longer wait times for appointments and to receive their first benefits and Medicare coverage.
In Southern California, elderly people who rode the bus for hours to get to Social Security offices were reportedly turned away, according to The New York Times. People who call the Social Security Administration have waited hours on hold for someone to answer. Those who’ve tried to access their accounts online this week were taken to a dead-end page that says “Bad request.”
To rein in “widespread fraud” — a claim repeatedly made by the White House’s Department of Government Efficiency, and characterized by fact-checkers as exaggerated and misleading — the agency also planned to require in-person proof of eligibility. This meant that, starting April 14, people would no longer be able to file for benefits over the phone. However, after receiving backlash from advocates and members of Congress, the agency revised these restrictions.
On Wednesday, Bonta also joined 20 other attorneys general in support of the American Association of People with Disabilities’ lawsuit challenging the Social Security Administration’s staffing cuts and policy changes.
In a statement, Bonta said, “Through their erratic and illegal actions, the Trump Administration and DOGE have weakened both the Social Security Administration’s ability to serve people and the public’s trust in essential government services. This has made it harder — at times impossible — for older adults and persons with disabilities to access the lifesaving benefits and services they depend on.”
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