Fact check: What are the requirements for an undocumented immigrant to obtain a social security number?

1. Summary of the results

Based on the analyses provided, undocumented immigrants are generally not eligible to obtain Social Security numbers. The Social Security Administration has clear requirements that only noncitizens authorized to work in the United States by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) can get a Social Security number ^{[1] [2]}.

The standard process for eligible noncitizens includes:

• Applying in their home country before coming to the United States when filing an application for an immigrant visa with the U.S. Department of State ^[1]
• Applying if lawfully present in the United States and applying for work authorization or permanent resident status from DHS ^[1]
• Visiting a Social Security office or starting the application online and then visiting the office with required documents ^[1]

However, there appears to be a significant discrepancy between official policy and practice, as Social Security numbers were handed out to over 2 million immigrants who entered the United States illegally ^[3]. The Enumeration Beyond Entry (EBE) program allows the Social Security Administration to issue Social Security numbers to migrants with work authorizations ^[3].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The original question lacks several important contextual elements:

• Recent policy changes: As of March 19, 2025, the Social Security Administration has paused automatic SSN issuance for many immigrant applicants, including those receiving new work permits and newly naturalized citizens ^[4]. This means immigration applicants applying for work authorization and naturalization must now apply in person at SSA offices ^[4].
• Economic contributions: Undocumented immigrants contribute more to Social Security through their tax payments than they receive in benefits, despite being ineligible to receive benefits ^[5]. Additionally, legal immigrants help fund the Social Security system and the surge of immigrants in recent years is expected to boost Social Security's revenues ^[5].
• Enforcement gaps: There are claims that many migrants are receiving benefits they are not entitled to ^[3], suggesting systematic issues in the verification process.

Political and financial interests that benefit from different narratives include:

• Immigration advocacy groups who benefit from emphasizing undocumented immigrants' economic contributions
• Political figures who may use enforcement gaps to support stricter immigration policies
• Social Security Administration officials who may face pressure to balance policy compliance with administrative efficiency

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question itself does not contain explicit misinformation, as it is posed as an inquiry rather than a claim. However, the framing could potentially lead to misunderstanding:

• The question implies there might be legitimate pathways for undocumented immigrants to obtain Social Security numbers, when official policy clearly states that only noncitizens authorized to work can receive Social Security numbers ^{[6] [1] [2]}.
• The question doesn't acknowledge the distinction between official eligibility requirements and reported instances of SSNs being issued to unauthorized immigrants ^[3], which could contribute to confusion about what is legally permissible versus what may occur in practice.
• Missing from the question is recognition that undocumented immigrants may contribute to Social Security through tax payments using Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers (ITINs) rather than Social Security numbers ^[5].