Attorney General Bonta Challenges Trump Administration’s Impairment of Social Security Administration, Harming Millions of Disabled and Older Americans

Whether by foot, phone, or website, the Trump Administration has made it harder for Americans to access SSA 

OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta this week joined a coalition of 21 attorneys general in filing an amicus brief in American Association of People with Disabilities v. Dudek, a lawsuit challenging the Trump Administration’s abrupt changes to core Social Security Administration (SSA) policies, many of which have caused serious disruptions and delays, preventing people from accessing essential benefits. At the same time, chaotic operational changes at SSA — including staffing cuts, field office closures, and the illegal shuttering of departments — have hampered SSA’s ability to respond to and correct these disruptions. Rather than make the agency more efficient, these cuts are preventing SSA from effectively serving Americans applying for and receiving social security benefits. In the brief, the attorneys general argue that cuts and changes to SSA will harm states and their ability to provide critical services to their residents, including making disability determinations and administering Medicaid.

“Social Security benefits are a lifeline for over six million Californians. Social Security Administration staff help older Californians and Californians with disabilities process their applications and ensure people can qualify for health insurance — this is critically important work,” said Attorney General Bonta. “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.” 

In the name of efficiency, the Elon Musk-led Department of Governmental Efficiency (DOGE) has infiltrated SSA, changing policy on several fronts in the name of rooting out supposed fraud, waste, and abuse. Efficiency implies doing more with less — but SSA is currently doing less with less. For example, this year, callers have waited about 50% longer on hold before speaking with an SSA representative than they did in 2024. Because many seniors and people with disabilities lack internet service or the technological knowledge to complete their transactions online, field offices have been flooded with more people seeking assistance. 

SSA’s online services are faring no better — the SSA website has crashed several times in recent weeks. These crashes come after SSA dissolved the office responsible for managing the agency’s website amid the layoffs of roughly half its information technology staff. Due to staffing cuts, SSA has announced that it will rely on X, the social media platform owned by Elon Musk, as its primary method of communicating to the public, even though the majority of seniors do not use social media. At the same time, a significant reduction in staff working at field offices has severely impacted offices’ ability to serve the public. Amidst the turmoil, DOGE has announced plans to shutter field offices and regional offices, further impairing already short-staffed offices. In some states, many seniors lack access to broadband and already live hundreds of miles from their nearest SSA field office. Closing field offices will only make it harder for people to obtain the benefits they are entitled to, especially as SSA’s website is crashing and phone services are cut.

In the brief, the attorneys general argue that as the Trump Administration continues to impair SSA’s essential functions, states will bear the cost of their residents’ increased need to rely on state aid programs and the disruption of statutorily mandated state programs that rely on SSA determinations and funding. The Administration’s actions have already caused, and will continue to cause, substantial harm to millions of Americans who rely on a functioning SSA to receive the lifesaving benefits they need. 

In filing the brief, Attorney General Bonta joins the attorneys general of Connecticut, Arizona, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and the District of Columbia. 

Attorney General Bonta is committed to protecting Californians from unlawful actions by the Trump Administration and preserving access to federal programs and benefits — including social security. In February, he filed a lawsuit challenging the Trump Administration’s decision to allow people associated with the DOGE to access Americans’ personal and private information, including bank account and social security numbers. Also in February, Attorney General Bonta filed a lawsuit that challenges Elon Musk’s unlawful exercise of power and seeks to immediately halt his unlawful exercise of power. This month, amid growing concerns over Social Security disruptions, he unveiled a new webpage to allow Californians to report any disruptions they’ve experienced.

A copy of the amicus brief can be found here.