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Can DACA recipients or asylum seekers receive a Social Security number and when are they eligible?
Executive summary
DACA recipients who are granted deferred action and an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) are eligible to apply for a Social Security number (SSN) and card; USCIS and SSA guidance say generally only noncitizens authorized to work by DHS can obtain an SSN (USCIS: DACA recipients are “lawfully present” during deferred action; USCIS notes only those with permission to work can apply for an SSN) [1][2]. Asylum seekers’ SSN eligibility depends on whether and when they receive DHS work authorization; asylum grantees and those granted employment authorization are listed among noncitizen categories who may obtain SSNs [3][4].
1. What DACA status means for an SSN: work authorization is the key
USCIS states that an individual granted DACA is considered lawfully present for the deferred action period and, critically, that DACA approval permits requestors to seek employment authorization via Form I-765; USCIS guidance links DACA grants and the ability to get a Social Security number once employment authorization is granted [1][2]. Social Security rules — summarized by legal guides and CRS overviews — make the baseline rule clear: noncitizens who are authorized to work by DHS are eligible for an SSN; because DACA recipients who receive an EAD are work-authorized, they may obtain SSNs [3][4].
2. Asylum seekers: eligibility depends on timing and DHS authorization
Asylum applicants are a heterogeneous group. Those who are granted asylum automatically have status that authorizes work and can obtain an SSN; by contrast, asylum seekers waiting on decisions may be eligible for an EAD after statutory waiting periods or where DHS/USCIS grants employment authorization, and only then would they be eligible for an SSN [3][4]. Available sources do not provide a single date-of-eligibility rule for all asylum applicants; they emphasize that current employment authorization from DHS is the determiner [3][4].
3. How agencies describe “eligibility” vs. benefit access — a key distinction
USCIS and SSA-related reporting distinguish two different questions: [5] eligibility to receive an SSN and card, which turns largely on work authorization, and [6] eligibility to receive Social Security program benefits or other federal public benefits, which is governed by different statutes and regulations. USCIS explicitly says DACA recipients are considered “lawfully present” for purposes of certain Social Security benefits during deferred action, but other federal benefits (means-tested programs) remain largely unavailable to DACA holders under federal law [7][8]. Analysts note DACA recipients contribute payroll taxes and to Social Security/Medicare even when ineligible for some benefits [9].
4. Practical steps and evidence required to get an SSN
Authoritative summaries and SSA guidance cited by legal clinics explain that to obtain an SSN a noncitizen must be in an eligible assignment category, meet identity/immigration evidentiary requirements, and file an SSA application; a valid EAD (Form I-766) is a commonly cited document that supports eligibility for a work-authorized SSN [4][3]. USCIS pages instruct DACA grantees to look to the SSA for specifics on applying for a Social Security Number and Card once USCIS has granted employment authorization [2].
5. Areas of disagreement, policy change risk, and reporting limits
Policy and legal developments have repeatedly affected DACA practice (USCIS references litigation and rule changes), and congressional proposals have at times sought to restrict or change noncitizens’ access to SSNs or benefits; CRS and congressional histories document legislative attempts and proposals that would alter how work authorization or SSNs intersect with benefit eligibility [1][10]. Available sources do not provide a comprehensive timeline for every asylum applicant’s right to work (or SSN issuance) because eligibility can depend on individual circumstances, adjudications, and evolving agency or court actions [3][4].
6. Bottom line for individuals and institutions
If you are a DACA recipient with an approved DACA grant and a current EAD, USCIS and SSA guidance say you are eligible to apply for an SSN and card [2][3]. If you are an asylum grantee or an asylum seeker who has been granted DHS employment authorization, you likewise meet the common criterion for an SSN; absent such authorization, asylum applicants generally are not eligible to receive an SSN until DHS authorizes work [3][4]. For precise, case-specific steps and current procedural forms, the SSA and USCIS webpages and agency publications cited above are the operative references [2][4].