Romney Campaign Press Release - Sen. McCain Voted To Allow Illegal Immigrants To Collect Social Security

Vote Allowed Illegals Who Were Granted Amnesty To Collect Benefits On Work They Did While In This Country Illegally

"It makes no sense to reward millions of illegal immigrants for criminal behavior while our Social Security system is already in crisis. ... Why in the world would we endorse this criminal activity with federal benefits?" – Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC) (Charles Hurt, "Illegals Granted Social Security," The Washington Times, 5/19/06)

In 2006, Sen. McCain Voted To Allow Illegals To Collect Social Security For Work Done While Illegal:

Sen. McCain Joined Sens. Clinton And Obama In Voting To Give Retroactive Social Security Benefits To Illegal Immigrants Who Would Be Granted Amnesty. "Specter, R-Pa., motion to table (kill) the Ensign, R-Nev., amendment no. 3985 that would bar illegal immigrants currently in the country from claiming Social Security credits for work done in years before they are assigned a valid Social Security number." (S. 2611, CQ Vote #130: Motion Agreed To 50-49: R 11-44; D 38-5; I 1-0, 5/18/06, Clinton, McCain, And Obama Voted Yea)

UPI: "Illegal Aliens Could Collect Social Security Benefits Based On Past Illegal Employment." "Illegal aliens could collect Social Security benefits based on past illegal employment if a U.S. Senate bill passed Thursday becomes law. That would be the case even if the job was obtained through forged or stolen documents..." ("Senate Votes Social Security For Illegals," United Press International, 5/19/06)

"The Senate Voted Yesterday To Allow Illegal Aliens To Collect Social Security Benefits Based On Past Illegal Employment - Even If The Job Was Obtained Through Forged Or Stolen Documents." (Charles Hurt, "Illegals Granted Social Security," The Washington Times, 5/19/06)

Sen. McCain Defended Giving Retroactive Social Security Benefits For Illegal Work:

Sen. McCain: "It Would Be Wrong To Deny Hardworking Men And Women Credit For All The Dollars They've Paid Into Social Security From Their Often Meager Wages." (Dena Bunis, "Guest-Worker Provision Survives," Orange County Register, 5/19/06)

- 'We all know that millions of undocumented immigrants pay Social Security and Medicare taxes for years and sometimes decades while they work to contribute to our economy,' said Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz." ("Senate Votes Social Security For Illegals," United Press International, 5/19/06)

Conservative Republican Senators Fought Against Rewarding Illegal Behavior:

Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA): The Bill Gave "Social Security To Illegal Aliens." "Social Security to illegal aliens. Under the bill, illegal aliens are not prohibited from getting credit for the money they've put into the Social Security system if they've worked in the U.S. illegally. Illegal immigrants who paid Social Security taxes using a stolen Social Security Number did not do so with the expectation that they would ever qualify for Social Security benefits. (The Ensign amendment would have taken care of this, but it did not pass.)" (Sen. Chuck Grassley, "Grassley Unveils Top 10 Flaws With Amnesty And Guest Worker Of Comprehensive Immigration Reform Bill," Press Release, 5/23/06; http://grassley.senate.gov/)

Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC): "It Makes No Sense To Reward Millions Of Illegal Immigrants For Criminal Behavior While Our Social Security System Is Already In Crisis." "'It makes no sense to reward millions of illegal immigrants for criminal behavior while our Social Security system is already in crisis,' said Sen. Jim DeMint, South Carolina Republican. 'Why in the world would we endorse this criminal activity with federal benefits? The Senate missed a big opportunity to improve this bill, and I doubt American seniors will be pleased with the result.'" (Charles Hurt, "Illegals Granted Social Security," The Washington Times, 5/19/06)

- Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC): "It's like giving someone who stole your credit card everything they bought until they get caught. And it's just not a good amendment at all. Obviously, I was trying to stop this, and I think we will stop it when we meet the House with this bill." (Fox News' "The Big Story," 5/19/06)

Sen. John Ensign (R-NV): "'It's That Illegal Conduct That They Will Be Allowed To Use To Qualify For Social Security." "Senators also blocked an effort to deny Social Security benefits to legalized immigrants for work they performed while they were illegal or which they obtained through identity theft. 'It's that illegal conduct that they will be allowed to use to qualify for Social Security,' said Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., who tried to limit Social Security payments." (Gebe Martinez, "The Immigration Debate," The Houston Chronicle, 5/19/06)

- Sen. John Ensign (R-NV): "'There was a felony they were committing, and now they can't be prosecuted. That sounds like amnesty to me,' said Sen. John Ensign, the Nevada Republican who offered the amendment yesterday to strip out those provisions of the immigration reform bill. 'It just boggles the mind how people could be against this amendment.'" (Charles Hurt, "Illegals Granted Social Security," The Washington Times, 5/19/06)

Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) Said The Bill Would Allow Illegals "To Use Their Past Illegal Work To Qualify For Social Security Benefits." "Top Ten Reasons to Oppose The Senate Amnesty Bill... 6. Social Security Benefits, Tax Credits for Illegal Work ... The Senate rejected Senator Ensign's amendment that would have prevented Social Security benefits from being awarded to immigrants for time that they worked illegally in the United States. If the immigration compromise bill before the Senate were enacted into law, an estimated 12 million illegal workers would be able to use their past illegal work to qualify for Social Security benefits." (Sen. Tom Coburn, "Dr. Coburn Votes Against Senate Amnesty," Press Release, 5/25/06; http://coburn.senate.gov/)

Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) Said The Bill Allowed Social Security To Those Who "Stole Identifies To Work In The United States Illegally." "Below are the key problems that remain in the Senate immigration bill, S. 2611... Rewards illegal document fraud by allowing Social Security payments for those who stole identities to work in the United States illegally." (Sen. John Cornyn, "Cornyn Statement On Senate Immigration Bill Passage," Press Release, 5/25/06)

Sen. Elizabeth Dole (R-NC) Said The Bill Would Allow Illegal Immigrants "To Accumulate And Collect" Social Security Benefits. "In addition, this bill contains a number of provisions that just defy common sense, such as allowing illegal immigrants who fraudulently use a U.S. citizen's Social Security number to accumulate and collect benefits from an already tight Social Security trust fund!" (Sen. Elizabeth Dole, "Dole Opposes Immigration Reform Bill With Amnesty," Press Release, 5/25/06)

Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL): Illegal Aliens Are "Not Entitled" To Draw Social Security. "Sometimes you have to make decisions. Somebody who came here illegally and worked illegally and submitted an illegal Social Security number is not entitled to draw on the Treasury of the United States." (Sen. Jeff Sessions, "Senator Sessions On The Ensign Amendment," Press Release, 5/18/06, http://sessions.senate.gov/)

The Measure Angered Conservatives:

Conservative Economist Stephen Moore: "I Do Not Think They Should Be Eligible For Social Security Until They Start Working Here Legally." MOORE: "I'm very much in favor of immigration. But I don't think that illegal immigrants should be rewarded for the time they were working in the United States when they were illegal ... And so I do not think they should be eligible for Social Security until they start working here legally." (CNBC's "Kudlow & Company," 5/19/06)

The Washington Times Editorial: Senators Moved Social Security Closer To Insolvency By Offering Benefits To Illegals. "On its way to bankruptcy, Social Security will get there a bit sooner... During the Senate debate on immigration reform in May, Mr. Ensign proposed that no illegal alien whose status would be adjusted by the Senate bill be permitted to receive Social Security benefits as a result of unlawful activity. ... In addition to Messrs. McCain, Hagel and Brownback, other still-serving Republicans who opposed the Ensign amendment, which lost by a 50-49 vote, included Sens. Lindsey Graham, Richard Lugar, Mel Martinez, Arlen Specter, Ted Stevens and George Voinovich." (Editorial, "Social Security Siphon," The Washington Times, 1/5/07)

Rush Limbaugh: Sen. McCain Supported Social Security Benefits For Illegals Who Used Fraud To Obtain Social Security Cards. "[Sen. McCain] was one of the senators that voted to go ahead and allow Social Security benefits to be paid to people who had used identity fraud to get their Social Security number. ... Senator McCain, none of the others that support this will recognize or acknowledge any of the negative aspects of this, of the stolen Social Security numbers. ... Imagine that his Social Security number is swiped and that his identity is stolen. I'll guarantee you he would have an entirely different view of this." (Rush Limbaugh Website, http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/, Posted 5/22/06)