JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – There’s an ad from the Donald Trump campaign playing in numerous states around the country that makes this claim: “Now Kamala wants struggling seniors to pay more social security taxes while she gives medical and social security to illegals.”
News4JAX looked into the claim and it appears to be based on Harris’ campaign wanting to remove the payroll tax cap for working Americans making $168,600.
That means people who make more than that would no longer have their taxes capped at that amount.
It would affect working Americans considerably more than anyone on social security. For it to affect a social security recipient they would need to be earning more than that amount and still be working.
“It creates an argument by some that you’re increasing taxes for Social Security and you’re not going to get an increased benefit for it,” said News4JAX Political Analyst Rick Mullaney of social security recipients who could theoretically be affected.
But once again this would affect younger working Americans.
The Harris campaign responded to News4JAX on this ad, saying the ad was objectively false. Here’s what they said:
- The Harris campaign is responding in detail… they said, “When asked about cuts to entitlements like Medicare and Social Security, Trump said: “Oh we’ll be cutting”
- They also point to Project 2025, which they said would raise the retirement age to 80 years old, but Trump has repeatedly denied he has anything to do with Project 2025
- They also said, “Every one of Trump’s budget proposals as president included cuts to Social Security and Medicare – as he worked to cut taxes for the wealthy and corporations”
As far as the other part of the claim in the ad that said, “while she gives medical and social security to illegals,” Mullaney said that’s a separate issue from Social Security.
“[Trump] talking a bigger picture in his view that if you advocate a pathway to citizenship which Kamala Harris is and if she’s successful that would result in them receiving Social Security benefits and strain the system,” Mullaney said.
News4JAX also reached out to the Trump campaign and this is their response:
- According to the Washington Post, Harris supports the Biden administration’s proposal to eliminate the cap on Social Security taxes.
- Harris supports giving universal health care for all people who are residing in the United States, including non-citizens residing in the United States illegally.
- During her failed presidential campaign, Harris raised her hand when asked if her health care proposal included providing taxpayer-funded health care for illegal immigrants.
- The Trump campaign pointe to a comment Harris made: “I am opposed to any policy that will deny in our country any human being from access to public safety, public education or public health period.”
- Harris said “yes” her Medicare for All plan would cover illegal immigrants.