By Kevin Hendricks
U.S. Representative Melanie Stansbury took to social media Monday to bring attention to a looming crisis as President Donald Trump and his Department of Government Efficiency recently imposed a sweeping overhaul of the Social Security Administration system.
The Trump administration and the government efficiency push headed by Elon Musk are expected to cut approximately 7,000 Social Security Administration jobs.
Stansbury posted a video on social media late Monday after she visited the downtown Albuquerque Social Security office to investigate the situation and ensure New Mexicans retain their benefits. However, she reported being denied access to the administrative side of the building.
“We were just denied entry into this office. We had an appointment and we notified them in advance,” Stansbury said.
Stansbury did talk with some New Mexicans who were in the office Monday waiting to get their claims filled, including a brother and sister who have made several trips to the office without having their claims resolved, a woman without internet access and a young person needing to correct their date of birth for tax purposes. She described the office environment as having “a lot of closed windows and a lot of people who were tired, exasperated and been here a very long time.”
Stansbury said the office declined to meet with her and instead provided an anonymous contact number.
“I called, and there was nobody on the other line,” Stansbury said. “Now, why is this a big deal? Because of DOGE and Elon Musk and the Trump administration’s dismantling of Social Security, they have now announced that they’re firing over 7,000 employees.”
Stansbury said the office on Lead Ave has the capacity for 600 employees but currently houses only about half of that number.
“In this building, which is a regional call center that helps Americans trying to get their social security benefits all over the United States, they currently only have about 250 to 300 employees,” Stansbury said. “Why? Because Elon Musk has gone on a mass-firing spree, firing thousands of Social Security Administration workers.”
According to Stansbury, there have been reports of computer system crashes affecting claim processing and long call wait times, sometimes over four hours.
Stansbury closed the video with a message to Musk about his efforts to dismantle and privatize Social Security.
“We want to say to you, Mr. Elon Musk, hands off our Social Security. Hands off our seniors. Hands off our communities with disabilities. Hands off the beneficiaries who are here trying to get their benefits taken care of, and hands off the federal government,” Stansbury said. “We are here to conduct oversight, to investigate and we will hold you accountable.”
Someone has a crush on Elon!!
Objective journalism? Seems incredibly biased and one-sided. Where is the corroborative proof of Rep. Stansbury’s claims? Why no opposing interviews or viewpoints to add balance? Why exactly is staff at half capacity? Why exactly are 7,000 individuals being fired? Is that Nationally, overall, or in NM, alone? If this office is a call center, why are people making appointments to be seen in-person anyway? Although I cannot speak for the Albuquerque location(s), contrarily as a point of fact, the SS office at Enchanted Hills in Rio Rancho is expediently and competently run.
Very disappointing article/coverage, Kevin; your reporting is usually trustworthy, but this appears to be mere gas-lighting and/or fear-propagating.