The Trump administration's efforts to deport undocumented immigrants and block new arrivals could adversely affect Social Security's financial health, as these immigrants contribute significantly to the system without receiving benefits. While many undocumented workers pay Social Security taxes using fake or expired Social Security numbers, the administration's actions could diminish a critical funding source. Legal and undocumented immigrants collectively contribute billions in taxes, though they rarely benefit from them. Analysts argue that immigrants, being younger and with higher birth rates than Americans, are vital to sustaining Social Security. Despite the potential benefits of increased immigration, experts indicate that changes in immigration levels alone are unlikely to resolve Social Security's funding issues due to the vast scale of benefits already dispensed annually.

The Trump administration's immigration policies, including deportations and self-deportation efforts, threaten to reduce Social Security's income by targeting immigrants who contribute to the system without receiving benefits.

Undocumented immigrants pay substantial taxes, such as $26 billion in Social Security taxes in 2022, yet are ineligible for benefits, effectively providing a financial boost to the system without receiving returns.

Legal immigrants and recent authorized workers help fund Social Security, with projections indicating a $348 billion revenue increase from immigrants between 2024 and 2034, while they will collect significantly less in benefits.

Social Security's future is precarious, with trust funds expected to be exhausted by 2035, and variations in immigration could respectively reduce or increase the 75-year shortfall by about 11%.

Despite the importance of immigrant contributions, experts such as those from the American Enterprise Institute argue that even significant changes in immigration levels will not drastically impact the overall funding gap due to the immense scale of benefits paid out.

The administration's claims of widespread Social Security fraud by undocumented immigrants lack evidence, with experts noting that such fraud is rare, contrasting with the substantial undocumented contributions.

The role of immigrants is critical given America's low birth rate, as they tend to be younger and contribute to Social Security throughout their lifetimes, offsetting demographic challenges.