In apparent defiance of a federal court order, the Obama Administration sent a letter to Congress on April 10 and revealed today announcing that the administration had already issued approximately 541,000 Social Security numbers (SSN’s) to illegal immigrants under President Obama’s original 2012 deportation amnesty.
Yesterday the number was 100,000. Today the number is 541,000. Tomorrow it could be many as 639,000.
The revelation means that illegal immigrants approved for the amnesty can legally work and collect benefits all in defiance of Federal District Court Judge Andrew S. Hanen for the Southern District of Texas.
These documents open the door to government benefits ranging from free healthcare, tax credit payouts of up to $24,000 and food stamps to housing assistance, disability benefits, driver’s licenses and, conceivably, the ability – but not the right – to vote.
In the April 10 letter to Sens. Jeff Sessions (R-AL) and Ben Sasse (R-NB), Social Security Commissioner Carolyn W. Colvin defended the process for granting the Social Security numbers they have issued to illegal aliens. Colvin said:
“We will not issue an SSN if an individual has insufficient or unacceptable documentation”… and “we will not issue an SSN if [Homeland Security] is unable to verify the individual’s immigration/work authorization status.”
This implies that the Department of Homeland Security, upon the order of the Secretary, the President or both, affirmatively acted to clear 541,000 illegal immigrants for Social Security numbers contrary to Judge Hanan’s February16 injunction.
The Obama administration said the illegal immigrants approved for its temporary deportation amnesty, known as “deferred action,” are here legally for as long as the 2012 program exists, and so they are entitled to work permits and Social Security numbers.
Republican critics say the president is helping illegal immigrants at the expense of American workers, whose taxes pay for Social Security and other government benefits. Judicial defiance aside, Senator Sessions said through his spokesman Stephen Miller that:
“This grant transfers jobs, wealth and benefits from marginalized U.S. workers directly to illegal workers”…“One of the most dramatic costs of amnesty – whether legislative or imposed through executive diktat – is the opening of our federal Trust Funds to large numbers of lower-income illegal immigrants.”
Many believe President Mr. Obama is playing games with the meanings of words, judicial orders, timelines and Executive Amnesty declarations drawing a distinction between the amnesty announced in November and the one he issued in 2012.
Based on the president’s interpretation of the facts, the federal injunction in February halted the November amnesty leaving the 2012 Executive Amnesty for 639,000 illegal immigrants or “Dreamers” in place. As we go to press, Judge Hanen has not issued a statement or ruling on these developments.