BIG FLATS, N.Y. (WENY) -- There has been significant concern about the potential closure of Social Security offices nationwide as the federal government looks to cut staffing. The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) led by Elon Musk, is taking action to close offices and reduce the agency's workforce. 

Protesters gathered outside the Social Security office in Big Flats on Monday, March 31st to voice their frustration over the proposed cuts. The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has initiated the closure of several Social Security Administration (SSA) field offices nationwide.

Protesters in Big Flats on Monday expressed concerns about accessibility to services if the local office is closed.

"It sure is a failure. I mean, if this closes, where do people go? How do they get to the closest one? We have such a poor population here. And now they want to cut phone calls too. It just does not make sense. It’s not people-friendly; it’s 1% friendly," said demonstrator Margie Rodgers.

The future of the Social Security office in Big Flats office remains uncertain. Congressman Nick Langworthy insists that the office will remain open and that only the lease for unused space is being terminated. However, this reassurance is not alleviating concerns.

"You're dropping the staff by 17%, and now you're also going to require more calls for people to make appointments for identity verification. You're going to overwhelm the office. This is what they want to do—they want to disrupt the system to the point where it breaks down, and then they can say, 'Oh look, we need to privatize, because the system can't survive," said Ira Manhoff. 

According to the Social Security Administration, the agency has about 72.5 million beneficiaries in the U.S.

Additionally, the agency is changing its identity verification procedures. People who need to change their direct deposit information will no longer be able to do so over the phone. Changes can now only be made online or in person at an SSA field office. Seniors who need to visit an office in person are particularly concerned about the challenges of having to travel even further if a local office closes. The change was expected to go into effect on March 31st, however the agency now says that change has been delayed two weeks until April 14th. 

"People will have to travel to Corning, Tioga, or Binghamton. In our county, there are a lot of people living in poverty who don’t have access to reliable transportation," said protester Mary Carr.

The SSA plans to cut 7,000 employees, or about 12% of its workforce. Those at the rally today say they are concerned the cuts could potentially leading to longer wait times and a decrease in the quality of service for those seeking assistance with retirement, disability, and other benefits.

According to the SSA, the agency has over 1,200 field offices nationwide. Forty-seven of those offices are expected to be closed; the list published by the AP can be found here. In the event of closures and delays affecting clients, a series of information, from emergency payment to external resources, is available online.