A 59-year-old Dallas native battling cancer and kidney disease has lost her Supplemental Security Income benefits after the federal government questioned her legal residency status. Ramona Rakestraw, who was born at Parkland Hospital in 1966, maintains she has never lived outside Dallas County or traveled abroad.

Rakestraw, who has relied on SSI as her sole income source while undergoing dialysis and cancer treatment, had her payments stopped in October when immigration status came under review. Despite providing her birth certificate and identification to the Social Security Administration, she received a letter stating she was "not lawfully present" in the U.S. Her Medicare Part B coverage was temporarily halted but later restored while SSI payments remain suspended.

The case highlights growing concerns about citizenship verification processes affecting vulnerable Americans. Rakestraw has filed an appeal within the required 60-day window, submitting paperwork to prove her U.S. citizenship. The Social Security Administration reviews appeals with different personnel than those making initial determinations. With her medical conditions requiring ongoing treatment and no other income source, the outcome of this appeal could have life-altering consequences for the Dallas resident.