Trump Administration Cancels Immigrants’ Social Security Numbers to Pressure Self-Deportation

TL/DR –

The Trump administration is reportedly revoking the temporary legal status of hundreds of thousands of immigrants and taking steps to pressure these immigrants to “self-deport”. This is achieved by effectively canceling their lawfully obtained Social Security numbers, which cuts them off from crucial financial services and government benefits. The New York Times reports that the administration is repurposing the Social Security’s “death master file” to include the names of living people who the government believes should be treated as if they are dead, thus blacklisting them from a form of identity that allows them to make and spend money.

Trump Administration Uses Social Security Numbers to Pressure Immigrants to Self-Deport

The Trump Administration has been revoking temporary legal status from hundreds of thousands of immigrants allowed entry under President Joseph R. Biden Jr. Documents reviewed by The New York Times and interviews reveal a new drastic approach of essentially canceling Social Security numbers obtained legally by some immigrants. This move aims to cut them off from vital financial services, such as bank accounts and government benefits.

The plan employs a new method: repurposing Social Security’s “death master file” to include names of living individuals who the government feels should be treated as if they are dead. The impact is a blacklist from a vital form of identification necessary for financial transactions.

More than 6,300 migrants had their legal status revoked and were added to the file earlier this week. The majority of these individuals were convicted criminals or “suspected terrorists,” but the initiative could widen to include other unauthorized immigrants.

The Social Security Administration’s acting commissioner, Leland Dudek, said this strategy would effectively “terminate” the “financial lives” of these individuals. This move is part of a larger series of actions by the Trump administration, spurred by Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency, to use personal data to facilitate President Trump’s mass migrant crackdown vision. This approach led to several top IRS officials resigning after it was announced that the IRS would assist in locating undocumented immigrants.

Mr. Dudek also reached an agreement with the Department of Homeland Security in February to provide the last known addresses of 98,000 people to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the federal agency responsible for deporting undocumented immigrants. This is a stark departure from the practices of previous administrations, which closely guarded such personal information.

Concerns and Controversies Over the New Enforcement Role

The new enforcement role for Social Security has sparked concerns about the potential for inaccurate data. Individuals mistakenly or improperly added to the list could have their financial lives upended. Some fear that the Social Security Administration is being used in the administration’s attempt to overturn the “open border” policies of President Biden.

Defenders of the approach, such as White House spokesperson Elizabeth Huston, argue it will advance President Trump’s immigration goals. “By removing the monetary incentive for illegal aliens to come and stay, we will encourage them to self-deport,” Huston stated.

Elon Musk’s Influence and Controversial Theories

Changes at the Social Security Administration are largely being driven by Mr. Musk, who has propagated unfounded conspiracy theories about fraud committed by undocumented immigrants and the agency sending billions of dollars to deceased individuals. Mr. Musk also wrongfully alleged that Democrats manipulated the agency to grant immigrants Social Security numbers, making them eligible for benefits to alter the country’s demographics. Staff reductions have compromised local field offices, making it more difficult for recipients to access services.

Under the Biden administration, many migrants were permitted to enter the country temporarily as a means to discourage illegal border crossing. These individuals became eligible to work in the U.S., obtain Social Security numbers, and in some instances, receive federal benefits. Under the Trump administration, however, both this practice and the CBP One phone application used to enter at ports of entry are being targeted.

Consequences and Criticisms of the “Ineligible Master File”

One of the Social Security agency’s most important data sets is the so-called death list, which is utilized to prevent improper payments. Those erroneously listed while still alive have reported catastrophic effects, such as foreclosures and canceled bank accounts. Removal from the list is a difficult process, often taking months.

The repurposing of the death list and the sharing of addresses with immigration authorities could face legal challenges under federal tax and privacy laws governing the maintenance of Social Security data. Kathleen Romig, director of Social Security and disability policy at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, noted, “The Social Security Administration has a legal obligation to keep accurate data to administer its programs, and strict laws govern the use and exchange of that data.”

Trump officials argue that they aim to modernize the nation’s deportation system by integrating data sets held by different agencies previously kept separate. This forms part of a wider effort to link personal data about the public scattered across government agencies.

ICE collects as much information as possible to target and detain undocumented immigrants, though their records can sometimes contain outdated addresses. Documents reveal that permission was given by Mr. Dudek to DOGE engineers and ICE leaders to use Social Security data in their operations.

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