Attorney General Ellison defends Social Security from erratic, unlawful management

Joins 21 AGs in amicus brief in support of injunction to block layoffs and mismanagement at Social Security Administration

Approximately 1.1 million Minnesotans and 69 million Americans rely on hard-earned Social Security benefits

April 16, 2025 (SAINT PAUL)  — Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison joined a coalition of 21 attorneys general in filing an amicus brief in support of blocking erratic and unlawful layoffs and mismanagement at the Social Security Administration (SSA) by acting administrator Leland Dudek and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) that jeopardize promised, hard-earned payments that millions of Americans rely on to afford their lives.

The amicus brief that Attorney General Ellison and the coalition filed supports the plaintiffs in American Association of People with Disabilities v. Dudek. The plaintiffs claim the staffing cuts and reorganization measures have delayed benefits and limited SSA’s ability to meet the needs of beneficiaries with disabilities in violation of section 504(a) of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Administrative Procedure Act, and the First and Fifth Amendments. The amicus brief, filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, supports the plaintiffs’ request for a preliminary injunction to stop Dudek’s and DOGE’s harmful actions.

Approximately 1.1 million Minnesotans and 69 million Americans total rely each month on hard-earned Social Security benefits.

“You can’t afford your life or live with dignity, safety, and respect when an unelected billionaire and his tech bros yank your hard-earned Social Security out from under you on the basis of lies,” Attorney General Ellison said. “I will not let this Administration continue to flout the law and deliberately harm the 1.1 million Minnesotans and 69 million Americans who rely on Social Security to afford their lives and live with dignity, safety, and respect. Social Security is fundamental to American society and I will not hesitate to do everything I can to protect it.”

Millions of Americans receive monthly benefits through Social Security retirement, survivor, and disability benefits. As Dudek and DOGE inflict Silicon Valley’s move-fast-and-break-things approach, workers have reported utter chaos that has threatened to send the agency into a death spiral. Announcements have been made only to be rolled back days or even hours later. Offices have been slated for closure only to later be removed from lists. Indiscriminate layoffs have been made without regard for how the cuts will impact SSA’s ability to provide core services. All the while, Dudek and DOGE have failed to offer any coherent justification for their erratic actions, pointing instead to misinformation about debunked purported fraud, waste, and abuse.  

Musk has falsely claimed that SSA pays out $100 billion annually in improper payments, referring to SSA as a “Ponzi scheme.” Trump has falsely insisted that tens of millions of people over 100 years old were receiving Social Security checks. This is false. Less than 1 percent of total benefits paid between 2015 and 2022 were improper, according to the SSA’s Inspector General’s Office. Of those improper payments, most were due to mistakes or delays, rather than false information to obtain undeserved benefits. Dudek himself has rejected the notion that deceased people are receiving benefits.  

Staff cuts are exacerbating Social Security’s problems, rather than improving its efficiency. About 2,800 employees have already retired or taken early buyouts promoted by DOGE. SSA and DOGE are planning even further cuts, despite administrative costs only amounting to 0.5 percent of its budget. Having fewer workers has led to longer lines at field offices and longer wait times on phones. In 2025, callers have waited 50 percent longer on hold before speaking to a representative. Online users are faring no better after several website crashes. The Office of Transformation, responsible for managing the website, is in the midst of laying off roughly half of its information technology staff.  

For many Americans, Social Security benefits make it possible to meet their most basic needs, including food, shelter, and health care. Further, Social Security is the pathway for eligibility for a number of other vital safety net programs, including Medicaid, Medicare, and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance.  

In a recent survey by the National Academy of Social Insurance, 42% of people aged 65 and older responded that they would not be able to afford food, clothing, or housing if they did not receive their Social Security retirement benefits. Nearly nine out of ten people aged 65 and older were receiving a Social Security benefit as of December 31, 2024. Of those people, approximately 40% received at least half of their income from Social Security. Further, 12% of men and 15% of women rely on Social Security for 90% or more of their income. 

Joining Attorney General Ellison in the brief, which is led by Connecticut Attorney General William Tong, are the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington.