Fact check: False claim that undocumented immigrants get Social Security numbers at the border

Sudiksha Kochi, USA TODAY
·5 min read
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The claim: 'Officials are giving Social Security numbers to illegal aliens at the US border'

Former CBS News journalist Lara Logan – once a war correspondent and prominent part of the "60 Minutes" program – faced public scrutiny after her factually inaccurate story on the 2012 Benghazi attack, which was a planned attack on U.S. government facilities in Libya.

As detailed in a New York Times story, Logan ultimately left the network for a brief stint as a Fox Nation host, where she made derogatory comments against public health officials. After that, Logan increasingly appeared on right-wing podcasts and at conservative rallies, spreading conspiracy theories about elections and COVID-19, the Times reported.

At one such July 30 political event in Tempe, Arizona, Logan claimed undocumented immigrants are being handed Social Security numbers at the border.

“Now, when people come across the border illegally – and I have this confirmed from Border Patrol agents who are actually physically doing this – they get given a Social Security number," Logan said at the event. "They get assigned a Social Security number when they cross.”

Her claim was shared to Instagram on Aug. 3 by Chuck Callesto, a former candidate for Florida's 3rd Congressional District.

"BREAKING REPORT: Investigative Journalist Lara Logan Drops Bomb, says Officials are Giving Social Security Numbers to Illegal Aliens at the US Border," reads the post, which is a picture of a tweet from Callesto.

The post was viewed more than 17,000 times in less than a week. A clip of Logan at the event making the claim spread to several websites, including Gateway Pundit. Similar posts have amassed hundreds of interactions on Facebook and Twitter.

But the claim is baseless.

U.S. Border Patrol agents are not permitted to hand out Social Security numbers to immigrants at the border, a spokesperson for the federal agency told USA TODAY. Immigration experts said noncitizens typically receive Social Security numbers only by completing a lengthy Department of Homeland Security process authorizing them to work.

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USA TODAY reached out to Logan and the social media users who shared the claim for comment.

Immigrants are not receiving Social Security numbers at the border

The Border Patrol "does not possess the capability or authority to issue Social Security numbers, and therefore does not issue Social Security numbers to non-citizens who crossed the border," Rhonda Lawson, a public affairs specialist for the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agency, which includes the Border Patrol, told USA TODAY in an emailed statement.

Instead, she said agents typically give those crossing the border an alien registration number, which is used to track cases through the U.S. immigration system.

Nicole Tiggemann, a Social Security Administration spokesperson, also confirmed in an email that the agency does not issue Social Security numbers at border crossing stations.

The Social Security Administration is not even involved at the border and would "certainly not issue numbers to those crossing without any application or showing of eligibility," Denise Gilman, director of the Immigration Clinic at the University of Texas at Austin, told USA TODAY in an email.

"A Social Security number is generally available only to those who are authorized to work, because it allows them to have deductions taken and to pay taxes," Gilman said.

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The Department of Homeland Security gives work authorization to noncitizens, according to the Social Security Administration. Individuals can then qualify for a Social Security number only in very limited circumstances, Evelyn Cruz, clinical professor of law at Arizona State University, told USA TODAY in an email.

"To name a few that do not qualify – foreign students unless given special permission, undocumented parents of U.S. citizens, undocumented spouses of U.S. citizens – including those married to members of the military," Cruz said.

Gilman also said that prior to receiving this authorization, most noncitizens must apply for asylum, which involves a form of protection in the United States on the grounds that the person fears persecution because of race, religion or other factors.

"Work authorization is not available just for crossing into the U.S.," Gilman said.

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Someone applying for asylum, and therefore entering with permission, may eventually qualify for a Social Security number if the case is taking a long time, typically several months, Cruz said. But getting work authorization to qualify for a number is a long process too.

"There is also a backlog of work authorization applications," Cruz said. "(Work authorization) cards are taking six months to a year to arrive – so there is no way they can get the work authorization card as they are entering the country."

Social Security numbers are typically used to report a person's salary to the government or determine whether someone can be granted Social Security benefits, according to the Social Security Administration. They are not an indicator of immigration status and do not provide benefits of citizenship such as the right to vote, Gilman said.

Our rating: False

Based on our research, we rate FALSE the claim that "officials are giving Social Security numbers to illegal aliens at the U.S. border." Border Patrol agents are not permitted to hand out Social Security numbers to immigrants at the border. Immigration experts said noncitizens typically receive Social Security numbers if they are authorized to work by the Department of Homeland Security, but the process usually takes months and doesn't happen at the border.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Fact check: Immigrants must apply for a Social Security number