A Swift Fix for Social Security Funding

If you want a Social Security check at retirement, look to immigrants, suggests syndicated columnist Mary Sanchez. She offers an eye-opening look at immigrants and Social Security, which is expected to lose its ability to pay all scheduled benefits by 2034.

A new report raises a big red flag, which is waving desperately in front of a Congress hellbent on ignoring it. In a mere six years more than 60 million retirees will lose nearly a quarter of the benefits they earned through decades of hard work.

This will happen automatically, unless Congress acts.

Social Security will be insolvent by 2032, according to the latest report from the Social Security Trustees, a group that has long been issuing these flares. The date is earlier than previous estimates, but the shortfall is not a new prediction.

The causes also are not new. Much is due to demographics. For decades, the larger numbers of the baby boomer population meant that far more people were paying into Social Security coffers than were withdrawing benefits as retirees. Now the inverse is upon us.

By 2032, the fund will only be able to pay out about 78% of the scheduled benefits, the study found. That’s what would kick in the automatic cuts of about 22%.

An easy fix: immigrants and Social Security

The swiftest way to fix the gap is immigration, bringing more adult bodies into the workforce.

Increased immigration obviously faces fierce political headwinds in this administration. Instead, badmouthing immigrants is popular among many conservatives.

Understanding the repercussions of when those anti-immigrant sentiments become policy is less popular, especially on the campaign trail.

Republicans continue to believe that anti-immigrant swagger wins elections, so don’t expect them to taper off the tough talk until after the midterms.

Politicians’ apathy

Another factor is the financial cushions that politicians often enjoy. Members of Congress are more likely than most lower-wage workers to have investments, pensions, and other assets. They’re less reliant on Social Security for their own retirement, so they care less.

Again, relatively simple math explains the nation’s demographic quandary. We need more people paying into Social Security through paycheck deductions to cover the outgoing benefits. This imbalance will only increase as more baby boomers exit the workforce.

There are simply not enough babies being born to replace those retiring workers. And it’s too late to birth our way out of this mess. Babies born today do not reach their full working age for about another 20 years. That’s too late when balanced against retirees leaving now, and those nearing retirement.

Rather, increased immigration can fortify the economy far faster and more efficiently. If only Congress was so inclined.

Solutions in addition to immigration and Social Security

Solutions could also include raising the retirement age, changing some tax laws, even though both are considered blasphemy in some political camps.

In a world where so much is out of Congress’ control, one would think that this might be an appealing issue for politicians to confront, in bipartisan fashion.

There are no downsides if they’d be honest with voters. Politicians could insist on aligning sensible immigration policy around labor needs. They could allow visas – yes, with close vetting – for people to fill much-needed roles.

Congress, if it would finally act with some backbone, could counter President Donald Trump’s onslaught of executive orders that undercut immigrants trying to obtain work authorization. The courts keep ruling against many of the president’s initiatives, but those wins are piecemeal and often appealed.

Too many congressional members are silently watching as the Trump administration is shredding the very populations that can turn this around. Immigrants, first and second-generation families, have long helped stabilize Social Security funds. Immigrants are entrepreneurs, they create new businesses at higher rates than native born people (yes, that is also true for those who are undocumented).

In 2023 alone, unauthorized workers paid $26 billion into Social Security in payroll deductions. Granted, much of it was done on false Social Security numbers, or through allowable filings with the IRS called ITINs (Individual Taxpayer Identification Number). Economists have long argued these contributions have helped keep the system afloat.

Democrats and Republicans together could reap rewards at the ballot box for addressing this crucial issue head-on. After all, retirees come from all political affiliations.

People who have worked their entire lives and have paid into Social Security deserve to be at least partially supported by it when they reach retirement age.

Congress needs to get its priorities straight.

For all the chatter about America first, patriotism and flag-waving, we are not acting on what is right for the generations of workers who built our economy. They have kept it running by starting businesses and hiring employees. They show up day after day and year after year to pay a portion of their wages into a Social Security system that’s on the brink of failing.

Should you take Social Security early?

Readers can reach Mary Sanchez at msanchezcolumn@gmail.com and follow her on Twitter @msanchezcolumn.

©2026 Mary Sanchez. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of this publication.