On the same day the Social Security Administration (SSA) announced plans to cut 7,000 jobs, Rep. Mike Levin (D-49) held a news conference to demand a halt to the looming closures of Social Security offices.
"I'm here to sound the alarm about Elon Musk's attempt to dismantle the Social Security Administration and potentially disrupt and delay benefits for the 70 million Americans across the country who rely on Social Security," he said.
Since Wednesday, Levin had been looking for information about the listing of a Carlsbad Social Security office on a website run by Musk's Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE. The listing said that office would be closed, as part of its real estate savings list.
The SSA's online location finder lists an Oceanside office as the closest one for Carlsbad. On Wednesday, Levin said his search for answers was turning up more questions.
On Friday, he did have an answer.
"There is indeed a non-public-facing Social Security office, it is the area director's office, in Carlsbad. And that's something that we had to go find out for ourselves. The Social Security Administration never shared that," Levin said.
He said the Carlsbad office helps oversee the eight regional social security offices throughout San Diego County. He said he has not been given the location and staff size.
Regardless, Levin says the restructuring of the SSA could be detrimental to millions of vulnerable residents.
"We can't afford to lose a single one of these eight regional offices," Levin said. "It doesn't just mean worse service or longer lines. It means some people will have no access at all to the help that they need."
Some of Levin's constituents say that help is already very backed up.
Oceanside resident Rosalyn Arellano said that in January, she waited nine hours on the phone with Social Security to get an appointment to receive spousal benefits.
"My appointment was a month later, which was a week ago. I was so excited. I had all my paperwork, ready to talk to somebody and literally nobody called me from Social Security," Arellano said. "I sat next to the phone all day waiting, waiting, waiting. The next day I called that 800 number again ... the wait was only two hours. Somebody answered and said they were very sorry, but there's glitches in the system and all they could do is offer me another appointment."
Her new appointment is now in April, but news of cuts in staff make her think that appointment might not happen. "It's only going to get worse. They will probably not call me in April," she said. And if I try to call back, it'll probably be maybe 20-hour wait the next time. And then my appointment will be next January? I don't know, it's just going to be horrible."
SSA anticipates many of its job cuts will be cut through retirements and voluntary separations. SSA and other federal agencies have until March 13 to submit their restructuring plans.
Levin hopes members of Congress will speak up and push back against the administration.
