Social Security suspends benefits for Salvadorans with TPS

Salvadoran beneficiaries under Temporary Protected Status (TPS) in the United States are reporting the suspension of their monthly Social Security benefits. The Social Security Administration (SSA) has issued notifications stating that recipients do not meet the legal presence requirements necessary to continue receiving payments.

One reported case involves Juan Cerén, a 69-year-old Salvadoran who has worked and paid taxes in the U.S. since 1990. His wife, Marta Olivas de Cerén, described the notification as a shock, noting that in some instances, the SSA has requested the return of previously deposited payments. Some suspensions are scheduled to take effect in September.

The SSA cites Section 202(y) of the Social Security Act, which restricts monthly benefit payments to non-citizens during periods when they do not meet legal presence requirements. This situation has created significant uncertainty for families with mixed immigration statuses, prompting legal experts to advise beneficiaries to explore alternative regularization paths, such as family petitions through adult U.S. citizen children.