The court ruled against Puerto Rico residents’ bid to be treated equally under the Supplemental Security Income program (SSI). Justice Brett Kavanaugh delivered the opinion for the majority.
President Richard Nixon signed the safety-net program into law in 1972. It provides monthly payments for older Americans as well as people with disabilities and blindness.
“The question is whether the Equal-protection Clause of the Fifth Amendment’s Due Process Clause obligates Congress to make Supplemental Income benefits available for residents of Puerto Rico in the same manner that Congress makes them available to residents within the states,” Kavanaugh wrote. “
In her dissent, Sotomayor (a Puerto Rican) called it “utterly irrational to deny SSI benefits Puerto Rico residents since they don’t pay enough taxes. She also said that Congress’ decision to deny them a safety net similar to the one it provides to almost all U.S citizens was “especially cruel given these citizens’ desperate need for assistance.” “
She wrote, “In my opinion, there is no rational basis to Congress to treat needy citizens living in any part of the United States differently from other citizens.” “
Pedro Pierluisi is Puerto Rico’s governor. He criticized the Supreme Court’s decision and stated that it emphasized the need for Puerto Rico statehood.
He stated that the Supreme Court’s decision in Vaello Madero vs. the Supplemental Security Income program (SSI) proves once more that Puerto Rico’s territorial status is discriminatory to American citizens and allows Congress to do what they want with them.
Pierluisi reaffirmed his support for statehood. This issue has split Puerto Rico residents.
He stated that “Clearly, our people, especially the most vulnerable, suffer from the consequences of this unequal treat under the American flag… enough of this colonial statut that discriminates against our and affects our quality life.”
This dispute arose from a claim for SSI benefits by Jose Luis Vaello Madero (a U.S citizen who was born in Puerto Rico) and he began receiving them in 2012. He then became ineligible when he moved from New York to Puerto Rico in 2013.
However, the federal government continued to pay the monthly SSI payment as it wasn’t aware that Vaello Madero was moving. Vaello madero argued that Congress had unlawfully excluded Puerto Rico residents from the SSI program.
Vaello madero won in lower courts. However, the Supreme Court overturned the decision of 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Kavanaugh wrote that two previous decisions from the high court dictated its outcome.
Kavanaugh stated that the precedents of this court, along with the historical practice and the constitution, show that Congress can distinguish territories from states in tax and benefit programs, such as Supplemental Security income, as long as Congress has a rational reason to do so.
The eight-member court majority warned that a Vaello Madero decision would have “potentially far-reaching consequences.” This is because lawmakers would need to extend federal benefits programs to residents in the five U.S. Territories.
Kavanaugh extended this to say that residents from the 50 states could call for federal taxes on Puerto Ricans and residents in other territories. He said that such a move would place a “significant” financial burden on Puerto Ricoans and have “serious consequences” for their economy.
“The Constitution gives Congress considerable discretion over how to structure federal benefits and taxes for residents of Territories,” Kavanaugh wrote. He also added that “the limited question before the court is whether Congress must extend Supplemental security income to residents in Puerto Rico in the same manner as residents of the States under the Constitution.” “
According to the Justice Department, President Biden has stated that he supports legislation that extends SSI benefits for residents of Puerto Rico.
