Trump Administration Declares Over 6,000 Living Immigrants Dead

Diverse immigrants expressing concern over legal status

News Summary

In a controversial move, the Trump administration has classified more than 6,000 living immigrants as deceased, canceling their Social Security numbers. This decision, which aims to encourage self-deportation, has raised significant legal and advocacy concerns, especially since the criteria for selecting the affected individuals remain undisclosed. Advocacy groups are gearing up to challenge this action, citing potential violations of law and questioning the accuracy of the Social Security Administration’s death records.

Trump Administration’s Controversial Move: Living Immigrants Declared Dead

In an unexpected turn of events, the Trump administration has classified over 6,000 living immigrants as dead, a move that has surprised many and sparked outrage among various advocacy groups. This bold action has resulted in the cancellation of their Social Security numbers, effectively wiping out their ability to work and receive benefits.

The Backstory

This move is part of a larger effort to crack down on immigrants allowed in the U.S. under programs introduced during the Biden administration. The immigrants affected had previously obtained their Social Security numbers legally, but now, those numbers are being tossed into a database usually reserved for deceased individuals. The intention behind this drastic decision appears to aim at encouraging these individuals to “self-deport” back to their countries of origin. However, the criteria for selecting which 6,000 immigrants are impacted have not been shared with the public, adding to the confusion and concern.

Wider Implications

Interestingly, over 900,000 immigrants entered the U.S. using the Biden administration’s CBP One app, which has recently become a target of actions taken by the current administration. Furthermore, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has also started revoking the legal statuses of many immigrants who utilized this app. Previously, these individuals were allowed to stay and work in the country for two years based on presidential parole authority.

Legal Battles and Controversies

In a twist, a federal judge has stepped in to halt the Trump administration from forcing hundreds of thousands of Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans with temporary legal status to leave the country. Meanwhile, the Social Security Administration has been notably silent about its role in classifying living immigrants as dead. The agency holds a vast database of deceased individuals that features over 142 million records, dating back to 1899.

Tax Data Sharing Agreement

In an additional layer of complexity, a recent agreement allows the IRS to share immigrants’ tax data with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). This arrangement aims to help identify undocumented individuals living within the U.S. by letting ICE cross-reference names and addresses against tax records. Following the announcement of this agreement, IRS Commissioner Melanie Krause decided to resign—a move that raises questions about the implications of this data sharing.

Advocacy and Backlash

As all of this unfolds, advocacy groups such as Democracy Forward are gearing up to challenge these latest moves concerning Social Security numbers. Many believe the Trump administration’s actions are a violation of the law and do not adhere to systems of checks and balances. Moreover, the Social Security Administration has recognized some errors in reporting death records, estimating that a small fraction—less than 0.3%—of annual death reports might be erroneous.

Lawsuits and Financial Ramifications

Consequently, a lawsuit has been filed against the Social Security Administration for making wrongful declarations of death. This lawsuit highlights the financial difficulties faced by individuals wrongly classified as deceased. It demands that the agency conducts thorough checks to verify the accuracy of its death records and potentially compensates those who have been adversely affected.

What’s Next?

As legal battles ensue and advocacy groups rally to defend the rights of these immigrants, the future remains uncertain. The various layers of bureaucratic actions continue to impact lives, raising serious questions about fairness and morality in how immigration status is handled. With so many people caught in the middle of these developments, it’s a situation that calls for careful consideration and action.