U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock announced that five Social Security Administration (SSA) offices in Georgia — located in Brunswick, Columbus, Gainesville, Thomasville, and Vidalia — will be permanently closed due to Trump Administration government overhauls aimed at cutting staffing and expenses.
Georgia leads the nation in the number of SSA closures, which Warnock says will disproportionately harm seniors, especially in rural areas, by making it harder to access services like enrollment, payment issues, and fraud reporting.
Warnock criticized the move, saying it shifts resources away from seniors toward tax cuts for the wealthy, vowing to fight the decision.
The closures are part of a larger SSA restructure, which may cut the agency’s 60,000-employee workforce by up to 50%. Layoffs, early retirements, and office consolidations are underway, as the SSA focuses on virtual services and cost-cutting measures.
SSA officials stated that many closing locations were underused, including remote hearing sites and non-public offices.