Durbin, Duckworth, And Wyden Lead Senate Democrats In Slamming Trump Administration For Disabling Lawfully Obtained Social Security Numbers Of Immigrants
By Flagging Lawfully Obtained SSNs As Fraudulent, Trump Administration Is Undermining the Integrity of Social Security
SPRINGFIELD – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), and U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) led six Senate Democrats in demanding answers over reports that the Trump Administration is maliciously deeming thousands of Social Security Numbers (SSN) as “fraudulent” as a part of its continued effort to push legally-present immigrants out of the country.
The Trump Administration is labeling immigrants as “unverified” in a database at the Social Security Administration (SSA). Prior administrations used this database to assist financial institutions with banking and mortgages by potentially flagging SSNs that were fraudulently obtained, incorrect, or mistakenly associated with another person. However, the Trump Administration is exploiting this database to deny immigrants from accessing vital services that require a SSN, such as securing jobs, opening bank accounts or obtaining health care benefits that they may otherwise be entitled to. To make matters worse, SSA has abandoned its constitutional responsibility to give individuals whose SSNs have been flagged notice and an appeals process.
“Falsely flagging lawfully obtained SSNs as ‘fraudulent’ essentially robs these individuals of their identity—achieving a similar result to placing these noncitizens on the agency’s Death Master File. Once an SSN is flagged as fraudulent, individuals may not be able to access benefits and banking and mortgage services for which they are otherwise eligible. With this new practice, SSA continues a reckless pattern of undermining the trust in and accuracy of its programs by deliberately supplying false information about legitimate SSN matches to the public,” the Senators wrote in a letter to SSA Commissioner Frank Bisignano.
The Trump Administration’s new move will undermine SSA’s responsibility to provide customer service, increasing foot traffic at already overwhelmed field offices and calls to its national help line. Several outlets have highlighted that increased foot traffic at SSA has wreaked havoc on the emotional and financial wellbeing of elderly and disabled Americans who depend on accessing their earned benefits.
In addition to Durbin, Duckworth, and Wyden, the letter is cosigned by U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), and Cory Booker (D-NJ).
To understand the Trump Administration’s deliberate effort to not only force immigrants to self-deport but also obstruct customer service at SSA, the Senators demanded answers to questions including:
- Of the reported 6,300 non-citizens who were initially transferred to the Death Master File, how many have been “resurrected” or removed from the Death Master File?
- Since January 20, 2025, how many SSNs have been flagged with an “unverified” or another Special Indicator code due to the number-holder’s supposed legal status?
- What are the downstream impacts of applying the Special Indicator code to these individuals, both within and outside the federal government?
- Please provide the relevant policy, procedures, and guidance related to applying the Special Indicator codes.
- Please provide the relevant statutory, regulatory, and subregulatory authority to apply these Special Indicator codes.
- Does SSA have procedures allowing individuals whose SSN information has been flagged with the Special Indicator code to appeal such designation?
The text of the letter is available here.
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