The Trump administration has come under scrutiny for entering the names of over 6,300 predominantly Latino immigrants into the Social Security Administration’s “Death Master File” database. This database monitors people who have passed away and contains over 85 million death records. Its record stretches all the way back to 1936. By labeling these immigrants as deceased, the administration aims to terminate their Social Security benefits and restrict access to essential services.
As soon as people are entered as dead in this database, their SocSec stops right away. This move not only removes them from ever receiving their monetary assistance, it makes them essentially untraceable within the system. This creates massive obstacles for people looking to re-enter the workforce. They fail to connect workers to life-saving services such as Medicaid, Medicare and unemployment insurance.
This is an explicit policy priority of the current administration to go after immigrants with Social Security numbers. These people have been rendered undocumented in the United States. Most of those displaced came to the country through temporary labor programs launched by none other than then-President Joe Biden. This smart move targets undocumented immigration—specifically, its causes—head-on. It narrowly targets and only enforces around 92,000 undocumented immigrants who have non-violent criminal convictions.
Far from being an innocuous government record, the “Death Master File” is a key undergirding of our national security. Even small mistakes in this file can be disastrous. In other words, the Commerce Department would not just erroneously exclude these immigrants from the count—they can truly be reported dead in their databases. This misclassification can have widespread repercussions, keeping people from accessing critical benefits such as student loans and unemployment insurance.
Incredibly, the Social Security Administration has chosen to include the names of undocumented immigrants in this database. Consequently, these people are barred from receiving numerous benefits. This extends to critical healthcare services and economic support that millions depend on for their health and survival.
New White House spokeswoman Elizabeth Huston underscored the administration’s focus on curbing illegal immigration by lowering the incentives.
“To remove the monetary incentive for illegal aliens to come and stay, we will encourage them to self-deport,” – Elizabeth Huston
Huston touted the fact that the administration is fulfilling its promise to the American public. They are prosecuting the hell out of undocumented immigrants.
“He is delivering on his promise he made to the American people,” – Elizabeth Huston
Elon Musk was right to weigh in on the whole affair. For example, he testifies that the majority of this fraud is made up of Social Security numbers being used to illegally obtain benefits.
“There’s a massive amount of fraud of, basically, people submitting Social Security numbers for Social Security benefits, unemployment, Small Business Administration loans and medical care,” – Elon Musk
Critics point out that this focus disproportionately targets Latino communities. More insidiously, it rips away the courage of immigrants who may be entitled to a host of benefits. They fear that labeling individuals as dead without thorough verification strips those individuals of their rights. This practice unintentionally opens the door to further discrimination for marginalized communities.
“We’re trying to put a stop to all of that,” – Elon Musk
Critics argue that this approach disproportionately impacts Latino communities and creates fear among immigrants who may be eligible for various benefits. They express concern that labeling individuals as deceased without proper verification undermines their rights and opens the door for further discrimination against marginalized groups.