February 21, 2026
Ramona Rakestra is fighting for the return of her Supplemental Security Income after the government claimed she is not a natural-born citizen.
A Dallas woman, Ramona Rakestraw, is fighting for the return of her Supplemental Security Income (SSI) after the government claimed she is not a natural-born citizen.
Rakestraw, who is battling cancer and kidney disease, says the federal government wrongly stopped her SSI after questioning her U.S. citizenship. Rakestraw is a lifelong Texan who said she relied on SSI payments as her primary source of income while undergoing treatment for kidney disease and cancer.
Rakestraw’s benefits were abruptly halted in October 2025 after the Social Security Administration informed her that her immigration status was under review, she told Fox 4. However, the Dallas resident says she was born at Parkland Hospital in Dallas and has never lived outside the United States. Furthermore, the 59-year-old asserts she has never even left Dallas County.
“I’m not an immigrant,” she said. “I’ve never even left Dallas County — let alone the country.”
In a letter to Rakestraw, the SSI administration wrote, “We cannot pay you benefits because you are not lawfully present in the U.S.” Rakestraw provided her birth certificate and government identification to SSA representatives at a local office as part of her effort to resolve the issue.
In her early 20s, Rakestraw battled kidney disease, which led to her receiving a transplant. She has been dependent on benefits since. Before her citizenship was in question, she received both Social Security and Medicaid Part B benefits. While her Medicare Part B was later restored, the SSI payments remained stopped.
After Rakestraw spoke to Fox 4, the outlet reached out to the SSI administration. Due to privacy concerns, no information was given about her specific grievance, though employees said they would reach out to her regarding the matter. Subsequently, it was reported that Rakestraw’s benefits would resume, though there is no word on why they were denied in the first place.
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