Yes, I see.
In fact, because I had put in five years working in Korea(the Korean minimum) before the US-Korea Social Security agreement went into effect, and I had reached age 60, I qualified for a Korean pension, which I have been collecting ever since, and which will never reduce or influence my eventual Social Security payments.
I suppose this is an instance of this phenomenon working the other way.
I agree that because of the huge disparity between the minimal value of the contributions and the huge number and value of potential claims, treating Mexico in this way would be fiscally irresponsible.
Yes, but it gets worse.
You probably paid the bare minumun into the Korean system to get benefits. Sure, you will be getting much more out of it then paid in but at least you paid in for 5 years.
Under the totalization a Mexican national would only have to pay into the SSA system 6 quarters (1/2 years) and this year quarters are valued at 900.00. SSA would combine the alien's work credits earned in the US and Mexico, and as long as the alien had also worked a minimal amount in Mexico, he could get prorated SSA benefits. I do not have the amounts the person would have to earn in Mexico. The SSA trust funds would not be reimbursed by the Mexican system even though the alien is using those credits to secure Social Security benefits.