FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
31 August 2025
Contact: Jin.Choi@mail.house.gov
Rep. Barragán Meets with Hundreds of Seniors to Speak on Harms of the Trump Administration’s Devastating Cuts to Social Security
Paramount, CA — As part of House Democrats’ celebration of the 90th anniversary of Social Security this month, Congresswoman Nanette Barragán (CA-44) joined the Paramount Senior Center during its daily lunch program to speak with and hear directly from hundreds of seniors on the harms they and their families have experienced due to the Trump administration’s devastating cuts to Social Security.
Seniors heard from the Congresswoman about the mass layoffs across the Social Security Administration (SSA) and loss of field offices due to these cuts, how this would further challenge their access to their benefits, and how House Democrats will continue their fight to ensure that access continues.
“Americans deserve to have their checks protected,” said Rep. Barragán. “These are benefits they have earned, fair and square, through a lifetime of hard work and playing by the rules. They deserve to be able to use their life’s work to retire with dignity and provide security for their children and grandchildren. But Trump’s cuts are gutting Social Security by causing mass layoffs at the Social Security Administration, shutting down field offices, and making it harder for millions to access the benefits they worked hard for and deserve. House Democrats know that Americans deserve better and are fighting across the board to protect and strengthen Social Security.”
Over the past several months, Trump and DOGE have pushed out 7,000 employees in the SSA, the largest staffing cut in its history. California alone has seen a 6% loss of Social Security field office staff since March 2024, with one office in Needles, California experiencing a loss of nearly a third of its staff. These cuts threaten about 6.3 million Californians who receive critical Social Security benefits — more than any other state in the country — which includes over 115,000 recipients in the CA-44 district.
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