The Safeguarding Benefits for Americans Act of 2024 would restrict federal assistance benefits to individuals who can verify U.S. citizenship or nationality. The bill applies to most federal benefit programs that distribute aid based on income or resources, including Social Security benefits and housing assistance. To receive benefits, individuals would need to sign a written declaration of citizenship under penalty of perjury and provide documentary evidence such as a birth certificate or passport, along with their Social Security number, which would then be verified through the Social Security Administration and Department of Homeland Security databases. The bill would take effect one year after enactment, with a two-year transition period allowing current recipients to comply before losing eligibility. Federal agencies administering these programs would be responsible for implementing the verification process, and agencies found willfully and repeatedly failing to verify citizenship could be disqualified from providing benefits.
Take Action
Your position
Add a comment
to comment on this bill.
Annotate the text
Highlight any passage on the Summary or Full Text tab to attach a note. Annotations appear on the Annotations tab.