Have investigations found widespread issuance of SSNs to noncitizens and what were the findings (year)?

1. Why auditors kept looking: the history of flagged vulnerabilities

Auditors and oversight bodies began scrutinizing SSA enumeration after observing procedural gaps that could allow incorrect SSN issuance. Early work by the General Accounting Office and other oversight entities documented that SSA had improved document verification and launched Enumeration at Entry but still faced weaknesses such as limited independent birth-record verification for infants and the capacity for multiple replacement cards under weak documentation policies ^[1]. Follow-up work in 2010 and subsequent audits emphasized persistent name-matching errors and the operational need for better cross-agency data consistency, which drove more targeted audits of electronic enumeration programs ^[2]. These reviews framed later audits' focus on whether errors were one-off operational lapses or signs of broader, systemic breakdowns.

2. What the audits actually found—numbers and error rates

Recent, detailed audits put the magnitude in perspective: in 2021 SSA processed roughly 587,000 noncitizen enumerations through electronic programs correctly, with only 1,185 instances (under 1 percent) where technicians improperly issued multiple SSNs—an error attributable largely to employees clearing system alerts instead of following research protocols ^[4]. Earlier audits found smaller but similar problems: a 2019 review identified 138 noncitizens with multiple SSNs via Enumeration Beyond Entry, concluding that most should not have received a second number and tying such duplicates to risks of improper payments ^[3]. These findings show errors concentrated in particular procedural breakdowns rather than mass, unchecked issuance.

3. Conflicting public claims versus verified audit evidence

Public statements alleging “millions” of ineligible noncitizens receiving SSNs in recent years have circulated, but the claims often rely on unverified charts or conflated administrative cleanups with original issuance ^[5]. The independent audit record does not corroborate claims of widespread, intentional issuance to ineligible noncitizens; instead audits document targeted error types—duplicate assignments and technicians not following alert procedures—while SSA maintained that most enumerations were correctly processed ^{[6] [4]}. This contrast highlights how raw administrative counts or headline figures can be framed in ways that diverge from methodical audit conclusions.

4. How agencies have responded and what remains unfinished

SSA has accepted many audit recommendations and instituted changes such as improved cross-referencing of records, revised guidance for resolving alerts, and procedural safeguards in enumeration programs, while sometimes disputing the scale of risk cited by auditors ^{[3] [4]}. The Office of Inspector General and auditors have pushed for stronger controls and technician accountability, reflecting that improvements reduce but do not eliminate risk of improper SSN assignment. Auditors also flagged financial risks from duplicates—past audits linked multiple-SSN beneficiaries to tens of millions in improper payments—reinforcing the fiscal stakes of control lapses ^[3].

5. What the evidence means for claims of widespread issuance and next steps

Taken together, the evidence up to 2023 shows routine lawful issuance to noncitizens through enumerated programs with a low but nonzero error rate; the documented problems are operational and correctable rather than proof of mass improper issuance. Oversight recommendations repeatedly emphasize cross-referencing, stricter alert handling, and data matching improvements to close remaining gaps ^[4]. Future public claims should be evaluated against audit methods and specific metrics—raw counts without context or verification risk overstating the scale—while policymakers should press SSA to complete recommended reforms and publish follow-up results to demonstrate measurable error reduction.