Are there differences between SSA-issued SSNs to noncitizens and DHS arrival/immigration counts for 2022–2024, and why?
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Executive summary
SSA data show steep increases in Social Security numbers issued to noncitizens—about 590,000 in FY2022 and 964,000 in FY2023, per reporting that cites EBE/SSA data [1]. DHS immigration counts measure a different universe: encounters, admissions, parolees and adjustments and count “events” not unique individuals, and DHS explicitly warns tables count immigration events and can count people multiple times [2]. These definitional and timing differences explain why SSA SSN issuance totals and DHS arrival/immigration counts diverge for 2022–2024 [1] [2].
1. Different missions, different tallies — why apples-to-oranges counts emerge
The Social Security Administration issues SSNs for identity, work and benefit tracking; its issuance numbers count SSN assignments to persons who meet SSA rules (often tied to DHS work authorization) and thus register with SSA systems [3] [4]. DHS yearbooks and monthly tables are built to document immigration events — encounters, admissions, parole and enforcement actions — and the Office of Homeland Security Statistics warns its unit of measurement is immigration events, meaning an individual can be counted more than once across or within reporting periods [2] [5]. Comparing the two without adjusting for these methodological differences produces apparent mismatches [2] [3].
2. Who gets an SSN — policy edges widen totals
SSA issues SSNs to U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, and noncitizens with work authorization; it can also issue non-work SSNs in limited cases (for state or federal benefits), and enumerations occur through consular/immigrant visa processes or after arrival when DHS documents (I‑94, EAD) are verified [3] [4] [6]. Administrative changes and humanitarian parole programs (e.g., Uniting for Ukraine, CHNV/CBP One parole pathways) expanded categories of noncitizens present in the U.S. and eligible to apply for SSNs, contributing to the jump in noncitizen SSNs between FY2022 and FY2023 cited in news reporting [7] [1].
3. Timing, lags and verification create further divergence
SSA relies on DHS records to verify immigration status for SSN applications; processing holds and verification delays are routine and can slow when DHS records are not yet updated—IRS guidance notes SSA procedural delays and their tax reporting consequences [8]. DHS datasets are also revised over time; OHSS updates prior quarters and yearbooks after data finalization, meaning DHS totals for a given fiscal year may be revised later [9] [5]. These timing and processing lags lead to periods where SSA’s count of SSNs issued and DHS’s immigration event totals do not align in a single snapshot [8] [9].
4. Repeated contacts and program mechanics inflate DHS “events”
DHS explicitly counts encounters and enforcement actions as events; a single person intercepted at the border, expelled under Title 42, later paroled, or processed through different DHS agencies can appear multiple times in OHSS tables [2] [10]. Policy shifts such as CBP One scheduling, parole programs, or pauses and resumptions in programs can create large flows of processed encounters that are not one-to-one with unique new residents who would go on to request SSNs [10] [11]. The Migration Policy Institute and DHS notes emphasize that DHS counts “times people were admitted” and not the number of distinct individuals [12].
5. Media and political framing have amplified the discrepancy
Reporting and commentary have seized on the SSA’s rising SSN counts for noncitizens—citing increases from ~590k (FY2022) to 964k (FY2023)—and connected them to allegations of fraud or political motives; fact-checks and audits cited by outlets point to SSA processing accuracy around 99.8% in certain audits, and SSA’s rules limit SSNs mainly to those with authorization [1] [13]. Available reporting shows both the raw issuance numbers and audits of SSA procedures, but the sources also document partisan claims that interpret those numbers in competing ways [1] [13].
6. What the data do and do not show — limitations and next steps
Available sources do not quantify a precise reconciliation between SSA SSN issuance counts and DHS unique-person admittance counts for 2022–2024; DHS warns its tables count events, and SSA provides rules on who is eligible for SSNs and how enumeration is verified [2] [3]. To directly compare, analysts need person‑level linkages or careful conversions (deduplicate DHS event counts, adjust SSA counts for citizenship changes and replacement cards). Researchers should request or construct matched longitudinal datasets from SSA and DHS or use MPI-style tabulations that explain methodology before drawing conclusions [12] [14].
Bottom line
Divergence between SSA SSNs issued to noncitizens and DHS arrival/immigration counts for 2022–2024 is expected and explained in current reporting by differing definitions (SSN assignments vs. immigration events), program expansions (parole and other humanitarian pathways), and timing/verification lags in interagency processes [3] [1] [2]. Claims that one dataset “proves” fraud or nefarious policy motives require person‑level reconciliation and are not supported by the methodological details cited in the available sources [1] [2].