“Over 6,000 Living Immigrants Classified as Dead in the US to Force Self-Deportation”
The Trump administration has made a controversial move by declaring over 6,000 living immigrants as deceased, effectively canceling their social security numbers. This drastic step renders them unable to work or access any federal benefits.
The targeted immigrants had been permitted to stay in the US temporarily under programs initiated by former President Joe Biden. These immigrants had legally obtained social security numbers, which are used for tracking earnings and contributions to the Social Security system, as well as for other official purposes.
By stripping these immigrants of their social security numbers, the administration has effectively cut off their access to essential financial services, including banking. This policy aims to force them into “self-deportation” and return to their home countries.
This move is part of a broader strategy to crack down on immigrants who entered under Biden-era programs, including more than 900,000 individuals who used the CBP One app to enter the country.
On Monday, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) revoked the legal status of immigrants who had used the CBP One app, allowing them to remain in the US for two years with work authorization under presidential parole authority. These immigrants are now expected to self-deport.
However, a federal judge has intervened to prevent the Trump administration from ordering the deportation of hundreds of thousands of Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans with temporary legal status later this month.
Skye Perryman, President and CEO of Democracy Forward, an advocacy group that has challenged Trump administration policies in court, criticized the actions, calling them “lawless” and abusive of the system. The group is reportedly preparing to sue over the social security cancellations.
In another related development, DHS and the Treasury Department have signed an agreement allowing the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to share immigrants’ tax data with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for deportation purposes. This deal has raised concerns over the potential misuse of taxpayer data, leading to the resignation of IRS Commissioner Melanie Krause.
Trump’s crackdown on immigration continues to face legal battles. Recently, a judge temporarily blocked an effort led by billionaire Elon Musk’s team to access social security systems containing sensitive data of millions of Americans, calling it a “fishing expedition.”