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Number if ssns issued to illegal aliens 2021-2924
Executive Summary
The core claim is that more than 2 million Social Security numbers (SSNs) were issued to migrants — often framed as “illegal aliens” — between 2021 and 2024, with a record ~2.1 million SSNs issued in fiscal year 2024 alone. Official SSA program data and subsequent audits confirm a large surge in SSN assignments to noncitizens authorized to work, but the evidence shows those assignments are tied to work authorization and enumeration programs, not blanket eligibility for benefits, and the SSA’s processing error rate is reported at 0.2% in audits [1] [2] [3].
1. Why the numbers jumped — A dramatic spike, but tied to work authorization and enumeration changes
The numerical jump from hundreds of thousands earlier in the period to about 2.1 million in FY2024 reflects the SSA’s Enumeration Beyond Entry and related processes that issue SSNs to noncitizens granted work authorization, including asylum seekers and other humanitarian entrants, rather than a wholesale issuance to people without legal status [4] [2]. The program, in place since 2017, is designed to streamline SSN issuance when DHS or other agencies provide authorization information; experts attribute the surge to expanded work permits and an increase in migrants presenting documentation eligible for SSN assignment under current immigration-adjudication practices, not to mass fraudulent identity issuance [4] [2]. The policy and administrative context — not just raw counts — explains much of the year-to-year change.
2. What the SSA and audits actually say — Very low processing error rates, limited benefit eligibility
The SSA’s publicly reported controls and a 2023 government audit found that SSN issuance to noncitizens was handled correctly 99.8% of the time, meaning documented procedural safeguards are functioning at high accuracy levels even as volumes rise [1] [3]. The SSA states only noncitizens legally authorized to work can obtain SSNs, and many noncitizen SSN holders are not eligible for programs like Supplemental Security Income or other benefits tied to citizenship or specific legal statuses. The audit results undercut claims that massive SSN assignments equate to widespread fraud or automatic access to federal benefit programs [1].
3. How political actors frame the data — Competing narratives and selective emphasis
Public statements from political figures and fact sheets have emphasized the 2+ million figure to argue the administration’s immigration stance enabled SSN issuance to “illegal aliens,” while other observers emphasize work authorization and enumeration practices to explain the rise [5]. The White House fact sheet and some advocacy groups cite the headline number to criticize policy choices, whereas SSA-related analyses and GAO-style audits focus on eligibility mechanics and error rates, showing divergent agendas shape which parts of the data are amplified [5] [3]. The same dataset produces different narratives depending on whether the emphasis is on raw counts or legal eligibility and administrative controls.
4. Taxes, benefits and the economic angle — Contributions versus access
Analyses point to substantial tax contributions by noncitizen workers — figures near $96–97 billion in taxes for recent years are cited — indicating many who receive SSNs also pay into federal and state systems even when they are ineligible for certain federal benefits [3] [1]. This complicates simple “cost” narratives: SSN issuance facilitates lawful employment and tax withholding, producing revenue while not necessarily granting access to all social programs. Claims that SSNs equate to free benefit access overlook program-specific eligibility rules and the distinction between having an SSN and qualifying for entitlement programs [3].
5. Bottom line and what’s missing — Data gaps and the need for clearer breakdowns
The available evidence confirms a substantial increase in SSNs issued to noncitizens and supports a 2.1 million figure for FY2024, but it does not support a simple equation that those SSNs were issued to people with no legal basis to work or to universally grant benefits; audits show very low error rates and processes tied to work authorization [1] [3]. What remains unclear in public messaging is a granular, year-by-year breakdown separating SSNs issued to people with temporary work permits, refugees/asylees, lawful permanent residents, and those without documented work authorization. That breakdown would resolve much of the political dispute by showing how much of the increase is driven by legally authorized work status versus other categories [4] [5].