Biden admin gave SSNs to 2.1 MILLION non-citizens in 2024

The issuance of Social Security numbers (SSNs) to non-citizens has become a central focus of federal investigations led by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

Under the Biden administration, the number of SSNs assigned to non-citizens surged significantly, reaching an all-time high of approximately 2.1 million in fiscal year 2024.
This was a sharp increase from roughly 270,000 in fiscal year 2021. These numbers are primarily attributed to the "Enumeration Beyond Entry" (EBE) program, which was originally launched during the first Trump administration in 2017 to streamline the process for work-authorized immigrants.

Under this program, the Social Security Administration (SSA) automatically issues SSNs to individuals once they are granted legal work authorization by the Department of Homeland Security.

The 2024 spike reflects record numbers of migrants, including asylum seekers and participants in humanitarian parole programs, who received work permits during the Biden presidency.

In early 2025, Elon Musk and DOGE officials alleged that this system was susceptible to fraud, claiming that millions of accounts belonged to deceased individuals or were used by non-citizens to improperly register to vote. In response, the Trump administration signed a presidential memorandum in April 2025 aimed at preventing non-citizens from obtaining certain Social Security benefits.

Additionally, the administration initiated a policy to cancel SSNs for thousands of non-citizens who had received legal protections under previous executive actions, intending to encourage "self-deportation."

While the SSA Inspector General has historically reported a high accuracy rate (99.8%) for non-citizen SSN processing, the current administration continues to audit these records. Legislative efforts in 2025, such as the "No Social Security for Illegal Aliens Act," also seek to permanently exclude income earned by unauthorized workers from Social Security eligibility.