Trump Administration Adds Migrants to Social Security “Death List”

Trump’s “Death List” Strategy: When Social Security Numbers Go to the Great Beyond

In what could be described as the bureaucratic equivalent of playing “The Hunger Games” with paperwork, the Trump administration has decided to add over 6,300 migrants to the Social Security Administration’s death list. This controversial Social Security policy effectively blocks these individuals from legally working in the United States. The administration has instructed the SSA to place these migrants on the Ineligible Master File – which is typically reserved for deceased individuals, not those the government wishes would leave.

This creative maneuver prevents these folks from accessing Social Security benefits or finding employment, with officials hoping they’ll take the hint and “self-deport.” Because nothing says “please leave” quite like pretending someone’s Social Security number has been permanently deactivated.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem requested this administrative action, effectively preventing these individuals from receiving benefits through the Social Security system. These migrants had originally entered the country legally under President Biden’s administration, but the Trump administration decided to implement this new approach to immigration enforcement.

“President Trump promised mass deportations, and by removing the monetary incentive for illegal aliens to stay, we will encourage them to self-deport,” White House spokesperson Liz Huston explained. “He is delivering on his promise to the American people.” Nothing says “mission accomplished” like a good old-fashioned bureaucratic zombie apocalypse in the Social Security system!

When Being “Dead” Isn’t Actually Policy-Compliant

The White House claims those who had their Social Security numbers transferred to the “death list” were either on the terrorist watch list or had criminal records. However, this approach might violate SSA policy, since the Ineligible Master File is specifically designed for people who are actually deceased – not just metaphorically dead to the administration.

When asked for comment, the Social Security Administration remained mysteriously silent. According to The New York Times, SSA acting Commissioner Leland Dudek wrote in a staff email that the “financial lives” of those on the list would be “terminated.” This action effectively cuts off these individuals from the benefits and protections the Social Security system normally provides.

Even more concerning, eight children appear on the Social Security termination list. Apparently, the administration is taking “children should be seen and not heard” to a whole new level – “children should be neither seen, heard, nor financially viable” within the Social Security system.

The Government’s New Hobby: Data Sharing

This creative use of the Social Security “death list” is just the latest in a series of efforts by the Trump administration to coordinate data sharing between various government agencies.

Earlier this week, the Department of Homeland Security established a partnership with the IRS to share current addresses of migrants who received removal orders. This coordination between agencies creates a more comprehensive approach to identifying individuals for deportation:

• Sharing taxpayer information between agencies
• Using Social Security records to restrict employment
• Coordinating between Homeland Security and the SSA
• Creating barriers to legal employment through administrative means

The Congressional Hispanic Caucus wasn’t amused by this digital friendship, arguing that the IRS has “no legal authority” to share taxpayer information. They cited the Internal Revenue Code, which apparently safeguards taxpayer privacy regardless of immigration status, raising legal questions about the implementation of these Social Security policies.

In the end, this policy gives new meaning to the phrase “over my dead body” – except in this case, it’s more like “over your bureaucratically dead Social Security number.”