The Social Security Administration — which distributes benefits to tens of millions of retired workers, people with disabilities, and their families — is in crisis.

Since billionaire Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) set its sights on finding fraud in Social Security, the agency has been trying to shed 12 percent of its workforce, or 7,000 workers. Leland Dudek, who took over as acting commissioner of the Social Security Administration in February, has pushed out officials and prompted others to resign in protest of his leadership. He has canceled research contracts with universities, including one that studied demographic trends, and closed six regional offices.

Plus, the agency recently announced that it will soon no longer allow claimants to verify........

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