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Fact check: Did biden give social security numbers to undocumented aliens?
Executive Summary
President Biden did not authorize blanket issuance of Social Security numbers to undocumented immigrants; federal rules limit Social Security numbers to noncitizens who are authorized to work or have lawful presence, and multiple agencies and fact-checks state that undocumented aliens without work authorization are not eligible for SSNs or Social Security Act benefits [1] [2] [3]. At the same time, administrative changes and expanded programs during Biden’s term increased the number of SSNs issued to noncitizens who obtained work authorization, lawful permanent residence, or other valid nonwork reasons, producing data and political claims that require careful distinction between lawful noncitizen recipients and undocumented persons [4] [5] [6].
1. How the rules actually work and why the claim is misleading
The Social Security Administration’s rules require that only noncitizens authorized to work in the United States by the Department of Homeland Security may obtain an SSN, and the agency maintains evidence requirements to establish lawful presence before issuing numbers; undocumented immigrants who lack DHS work authorization therefore do not qualify for standard SSNs under SSA policy [1] [2]. These administrative rules also allow SSNs for some noncitizens with valid nonwork reasons, but those situations still depend on documented lawful presence or specific forms of authorization; therefore, blanket statements that “Biden gave Social Security numbers to undocumented aliens” collapse two very different populations—lawfully authorized noncitizens and undocumented individuals—into one, creating a misleading impression of policy and practice [3].
2. What the numbers being cited actually represent and the source disputes
Reports claiming millions of noncitizens received Social Security numbers during Biden’s presidency point to an increase in SSNs issued to noncitizens, with one analysis saying nearly four million noncitizens received SSNs during his term and over two million in 2024 alone, but these figures do not prove that those recipients were undocumented or ineligible for work authorization; rather, they reflect expanded enrollment in programs that issue SSNs to successful applicants for employment authorization, lawful residency, or naturalization [5] [4]. Independent fact-checking and SSA policy documents emphasize that increases in SSN issuance to noncitizens can stem from legal immigration pathways and administrative processing of asylum and work-authorized applicants, and not from a policy of issuing numbers to undocumented persons without DHS authorization [1] [3].
3. Administrative and political moves that complicate the narrative
In 2025 the Executive Office of the President issued directives aimed at preventing ineligible aliens from obtaining benefits under the Social Security Act, instructing agencies to tighten oversight and ensure ineligible individuals do not receive funds, which indicates a federal intent to curb benefit access for those without lawful status [6]. Conversely, reports describing efforts by prior administrations to cancel SSNs or add migrants to the death master file to force self-deportation show how SSN policy has been used as a political tool across administrations; these actions underscore that policy choices about SSN issuance and enforcement are contested and tied to broader immigration strategies, not a single unilateral grant of numbers to undocumented people [7].
4. How asylum seekers and work-authorized applicants fit into the debate
A critical nuance is that asylum seekers and other applicants whose cases create granted work authorization can and do receive SSNs after meeting processing thresholds; asylum applicants with pending cases beyond statutory timeframes can apply for and obtain work authorization, and that status enables them to receive an SSN under SSA rules [3]. This creates a visible increase in SSNs issued to “noncitizens” without implying that those people were undocumented and permanently ineligible; many of those individuals have lawful temporary work authorization, and policy discussions conflating their status with undocumented presence feed misinformation and political messaging rather than clarifying eligibility criteria [4] [2].
5. Bottom line: facts, gray areas, and what to watch for next
The factual bottom line is that SSA rules and government documents show undocumented aliens without DHS authorization do not qualify for routine SSNs or Social Security Act benefits, while administrative expansions and lawful-status pathways under the Biden administration explain increases in SSNs issued to noncitizens who are authorized to work or have lawful presence [1] [2] [4]. Claims that President Biden “gave Social Security numbers to undocumented aliens” are inaccurate when taken literally; however, politically motivated reports and partisan counts of SSNs issued to noncitizens amplify the optics of large numbers without distinguishing eligibility categories, so future reporting should specify whether recipients had DHS work authorization, lawful permanent residency, asylum-derived work permits, or other lawful status before accepting headline claims [5] [6].