# Plain Language Summary: SSA Reform Act of 2025

This bill creates a system where the Department of Homeland Security must tell the Social Security Administration whenever someone's immigration status changes—whether they become a citizen, lose work authorization, or change their legal status in any way. The notification has to happen within six months of the status change. The two agencies would then have to report to Congress every year about how many notifications they sent, how long the process took, and whether the system is actually catching fraud or misuse of Social Security numbers.

The more significant part of this bill is that it would make Social Security benefits available only to U.S. citizens and nationals. This applies to a wide range of benefits including retirement benefits, disability benefits, Medicare, Medicaid, child health insurance, and supplemental security income (which helps elderly and disabled people with very low incomes). Under current law, some non-citizens can receive certain benefits if they meet specific requirements, but this bill would eliminate that possibility entirely. Anyone who is not a citizen or national would lose eligibility for all these programs, even if they've been working and paying into the system for years.

The practical impact would be significant for immigrants with legal status who currently receive benefits. Green card holders, refugees, and other legal immigrants who qualify for Social Security or Medicare based on their work history would no longer be eligible. Families with mixed immigration statuses could face situations where some members lose benefits while others keep them. The bill would also require a major coordination effort between two large government agencies to track and communicate status changes, which could take time to implement effectively.