The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has initiated an investigation into California’s Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants (CAPI) due to concerns that it may have granted federal benefits to undocumented immigrants.
At the heart of the investigation is a federal subpoena issued to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Social Services, which manages CAPI. The subpoena requests records from January 2021 onwards, including applications, immigration status, and documentation that verifies individuals’ ineligibility for Supplemental Security Income (SSI). Authorities are seeking to ascertain whether any ineligible immigrants have improperly received financial assistance.
CAPI was established to assist aged, blind, and disabled immigrants who do not qualify for federal SSI because of their immigration status. Legal experts, such as UC Davis Professor Kevin R. Johnson, assert that the program has stringent eligibility requirements, and only lawful immigrants should be entitled to benefits. Nevertheless, DHS is examining the program as part of a larger initiative to combat public assistance fraud. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem has indicated that the Trump administration is dedicated to halting what she describes as the misuse of taxpayer funds and cautioned that this is merely the onset of a nationwide assessment.
This investigation follows President Trump’s April 2025 memorandum titled the Memorandum on Preventing Illegal Aliens from Obtaining Social Security Act Benefits. The order instructs DHS, along with other federal entities, to prevent unauthorized immigrants from accessing any federal assistance, including Social Security benefits. Furthermore, the directive empowers civil and criminal enforcement against any state or local government suspected of breaching federal welfare regulations under the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA).
California officials, including representatives from Governor Gavin Newsom’s office, have countered the allegations. They maintained that CAPI is exclusively accessible to individuals possessing lawful immigration status, legal protections, or pending applications for such status—this includes victims of crime and human trafficking. Professor Johnson supported this defense, indicating that there is currently no definitive evidence of abuse within the program. Nevertheless, he conceded that the federal government might be pursuing credible leads that suggest some ineligible individuals have improperly received benefits.
DHS asserts that more than 2 million undocumented immigrants obtained Social Security Numbers in fiscal year 2024, underscoring what it perceives as a failure in federal benefit oversight. While detractors contend that the investigation may be politically motivated, the results could affect the regulation of similar state-run programs across the nation. For the time being, the emphasis remains on California’s adherence to federal law and whether its program functioned within the parameters established by Congress.
