Social Security Data Access Sparks Immigrant Eligibility Debate

Musk and DOGE Examine Social Security Data to Investigate Immigrant Claims

Musk and DOGE examine Social Security data to investigate potential waste, fraud, and claims about immigrants utilizing the Social Security system. This investigation comes despite research showing undocumented immigrants contribute more to Social Security than they receive in benefits, raising questions about who qualifies for a Social Security number and related benefits.

At a Green Bay rally, Musk appeared alongside Antonio Gracias, a DOGE employee working within the Social Security Administration. They presented data allegedly showing over 5 million non-citizens who received Social Security numbers between 2021 and 2025.

Musk characterized this as a “massive financial incentive” encouraging illegal immigration and described it as a Democratic “program” designed “to import as many illegals as possible.” Gracias added that the number of immigrants with Social Security numbers was “totally uncontrolled,” attributing this to former President Biden’s immigration policies.

The reality of Social Security eligibility is more nuanced, however. The United States grants temporary parole to certain migrants for humanitarian reasons, allowing them to:

• Live and work in America temporarily (typically for one or two years)
• Obtain Social Security numbers for legal employment
• Remain ineligible for Social Security benefits despite having a number

The chart displayed by DOGE actually represented immigrants with legal work authorizations who received Social Security numbers through the Enumeration Beyond Entry (EBE) program. Individuals in the country illegally without lawful immigration status cannot qualify for a Social Security number under current regulations.

Trump-Era Program at Center of Social Security Controversy

The EBE program was established during President Trump’s first term. It automatically processes Social Security cards for immigrants with temporary or permanent legal status, including those with:

• Green cards
• Work authorization from the Department of Homeland Security
• Other valid immigration documentation

“A hundred percent of the people in the EBE program, all their paperwork and status has been validated by DHS. That’s where SSA gets all that information from,” explained Kathleen Romig, Director of Social Security and Disability Policy at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

Policy experts note the program was designed as a partnership between SSA and DHS to improve efficiency and reduce workload for SSA’s frontline staff. The EBE program was paused in mid-March according to internal documentation, though specific reasons weren’t provided.

When questioned about DOGE’s claims, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt stated she wasn’t familiar with the specific numbers but referenced an inspector general’s report identifying $72 billion in improper payments from 2015 to 2022. Most were overpayments and represented less than 1% of total Social Security benefits paid during that period.

“There are individuals who should not be receiving benefits on the Social Security rolls, and this administration is focused on cleaning out the waste, fraud and abuse in every agency, but particularly in Social Security,” Leavitt stated.

Privacy Concerns Emerge Over Social Security Data Access

Gracias claimed DOGE received “a lot” of assistance from employees at the Social Security Administration and immigration agencies to access data on immigrants, including alleged benefits and voting records.

DOGE’s access to sensitive personal Social Security data has proven controversial and has been subject to litigation. While data sharing between agencies must comply with numerous privacy laws, President Trump issued an executive order on March 20 directing federal agency heads to grant “full and prompt access of unclassified” data to federal officials to “identify and eliminate waste, fraud and abuse.”

According to court documentation, the Department of Justice has provided DOGE with read-only access to agency data. In legal disputes over limiting this access, DOGE has argued that anonymizing the data would make it “impractical for those employees to conduct their work.” The administration maintains that DOGE employees completed all required agreements and training to access this information.

Gracias claimed that DOGE has identified immigrants with Social Security numbers on state voter rolls. Non-citizens are prohibited from voting in federal and state elections, with deportation as a potential consequence. He stated these cases were referred to immigration agencies who “committed to prosecute,” but provided no evidence or specific numbers of cases.