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2.0

Social Security Administration misclassifies certain immigrants as dead

  1. Original Date Announced

    April 7, 2025

    The New York Times reports that the Trump administration is purposely misclassifying certain living immigrants as dead--and effectively terminating their Social Security numbers--to encourage them to "self-deport." The Social Security Administration (SSA) added to its death database earlier this week more than 6,300 immigrants whose legal statuses had been revoked, thereby classifying them as dead people who should no longer receive benefits. The initial names added are limited to individuals alleged by the administration to be convicted criminals and “suspected terrorists,” but officials said the effort could broaden to include undocumented immigrants.

    Trump 2.0 [ID #1680]

    2025.04.07 DHS - DHS Secretary Noem Memos to ACOSS Dudek 2025.04.10 Reported: Social Security Lists Thousands of Migrants as Dead to Prompt Them to ‘Self-Deport’ - New York Times
  2. Subsequent Trump and Court Action

    April 12, 2025

    2025.04.12 Trump administration overrode Social Security staff to list immigrants as dead - Washington Post

    The Washington Post reports that a senior SSA executive was terminated after objecting to the Trump administration’s misclassification strategy.

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  3. Subsequent Trump and Court Action

    April 18, 2025

    2025.04.18 Reported: Immigrants prove they are alive, forcing Social Security to undo death label - Washington Post

    The Washington Post reports that nearly three dozen immigrants who had falsely been labeled as dead have been reinstated into the Social Security system after showing up at field offices to prove they are alive.

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  4. Subsequent Trump and Court Action

    July 1, 2025

    2025.07.01 Reported: Social Security Backs Off Listing Living Migrants as Dead - NYT

    New York Times reports that the Social Security Administration is backing off its policy of misclassifying thousands of living immigrants as dead to prompt self-deportation. Instead, the agency has listed approximately 6,300 noncitizens as "unverified" in the system that is typically used by financial institutions to check Social Security Numbers (SSNs) provided by individuals.

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  5. Subsequent Trump and Court Action

    July 17, 2025

    2025.07.17 SSA FOIA Response

    Social Security Administration provided an interim response to a FOIA request regarding the Death Master File policy described above noting that "in early June 2025, the agency updated its records so this population would no longer appear as deceased in agency records."

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Current Status

None

Original Trump Policy Status

Status: Reported
Trump Administration Action: Change in Practice
Subject Matter: Enforcement
Agencies Affected: SSA

Associated or Derivative Policies

Commentary

  • 2025.04.11 What we know about the Social Security Administration listing thousands of living immigrants as dead - AP

    AP explains the implications of this tactic and the consequences of losing access to a Social Security number (SSN). Individuals without a SSN cannot legally obtain employment, collect Social Security benefits or certain other government benefits, and may become cut off from banks or other basic services.

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