Latest Breaking News

highplainsdem

(55,579 posts) Thu Mar 20, 2025, 10:48 AM Mar 20

EXCLUSIVE: Secret policy shift could overwhelm Social Security offices with millions of people [View all]

Source: Popular.info

On Wednesday, the Social Security Administration (SSA) enacted a new policy that could impose massive demands on the agency's overburdened network of field offices, according to an internal SSA message obtained by Popular Information. Although the new policy will impact millions annually, it was not publicly announced. "The havoc and destruction they’re causing is no doubt going to break the agency and hurt the public," an SSA source familiar with the new policy said.

Each year, the SSA automatically issues millions of Social Security numbers and cards to non-citizens granted work authorizations as part of an agreement between the SSA and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

The agreement, known as Enumeration Beyond Entry (EBE), benefits both the work-authorized non-citizens, who receive their cards in the mail as part of the application process, and the government, which does not need to spend time and money processing separate applications for millions of Social Security numbers. In the 2024 fiscal year, there were over 3.24 million initial Employment Authorization Documents approved by USCIS. In the absence of the EBE program, everyone granted work authorization will be required to visit a Social Security field office to obtain a new Social Security number and card.

The SSA message, sent March 19, states that the EBE program for "noncitizens granted work authorization" and "newly naturalized U.S. citizens" has been "temporarily" frozen. It is unknown how long the freeze will be in place or if it will ever be lifted.

-snip-

Read more: https://popular.info/p/exclusive-secret-policy-shift-could

According to Judd Legum's article, this could mean another 75,000 people a week sent to their local SSA offices, already understaffed and becoming more understaffed, thanks to DOGE.

And this is on top of the policy change that will force many more elderly and disabled SS recipients to make in-person visits to those offices.

This is deliberate malicious sabotage of Social Security.

Judd Legum's Bluesky thread:

https://bsky.app/profile/juddlegum.bsky.social/post/3lksqgczrq22f

49 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

EXCLUSIVE: Secret policy shift could overwhelm Social Security offices with millions of people [View all] highplainsdem Mar 20 OP

It would take months to get an appointment. Irish_Dem Mar 20 #1

It will take weeks to find a parking space. FSogol Mar 20 #2

You have to make a separate appointment to get a parking space. Irish_Dem Mar 20 #5

Fill out these seven forms and mail or call and wait on hold for 14-37 hours. FSogol Mar 20 #10

And then it is not an actual appointment, just permission to sit in the waiting room Irish_Dem Mar 20 #13

And remember to make the process as complicated as possible. We are dealing with senior citizens and new arrivals here! FSogol Mar 20 #24

Yes. Lots of paperwork and forms to fill out. And documents to bring to the appt. Irish_Dem Mar 20 #33

Here is what I wanna know, what are we going to do Eliot Rosewater Mar 20 #30

Some people here have suggested that if SS and Medicare are cut or ended Irish_Dem Mar 20 #34

I wonder though. Most of us do not have guns, most of us are not in physical shape to fight physically. Eliot Rosewater Mar 20 #35

This will be an epic disaster. People will have the pitchforks out if this happens. kysrsoze Mar 20 #3

That does not bother the people in DC as all the anger will be directed at the people in the local office, as always. LiberalArkie Mar 20 #23

Good to keep in mind. calimary Mar 20 #25

Massive grassroots movement is already way overdue. Magoo48 Mar 20 #27

That's what Republicans want. Throw your hands in the air and say fuck it,shut it down. Bengus81 Mar 20 #4

I'm sure the felon has a concept. StarryNite Mar 20 #12

No "could" about it BumRushDaShow Mar 20 #6

They're doing this gradually, Bayard Mar 20 #7

This message was self-deleted by its author Bayard Mar 20 #8

Secret rules, secret laws, secret courts ... next up, secret executions of citizens NotHardly Mar 20 #9

Has anybody sued to get him to stop with the closure of SS offices? bluestarone Mar 20 #11

Many on the DOGE closing lists are NOT going to close-Repub politicians have stepped in wishstar Mar 20 #17

Why wait? Do it ** now **. Good form of mass action to overwhelm them now with millions of people Bernardo de La Paz Mar 20 #14

This AKwannabe Mar 20 #18

Do it for all government offices you might possibly interact with. . . . nt Bernardo de La Paz Mar 20 #19

Had to go to a SS office in person in 2012 when my dad passed. AKwannabe Mar 20 #15

I will suffer the shit show Littlered Mar 20 #26

CLOSING offices, FIRING employees, and giving the remaining MORE WORK to do will not make the system more honest. pnwmom Mar 20 #32

I'm not buying into the hyperbole. Littlered Mar 20 #36

It's not hyperbole. It's numbers, but maybe that's too complicated for you. nt pnwmom Mar 20 #37

Can you point me to the order/law that has been laid down mandating this? Littlered Mar 20 #38

If you'd read the article at the OP you'd have seen the link answering your question. Here's the SSA press release. pnwmom Mar 20 #41

Some people only see the negatives I guess. Littlered Mar 21 #42

Millions of people every year make new Social Security claims or change their direct deposit. pnwmom Mar 21 #43

This has nothing to do with funding Littlered Mar 22 #44

There has been ZERO evidence of significant fraud. First, they claimed that millions of accounts appeared pnwmom Mar 22 #46

Oh my. Littlered Mar 22 #47

The issue is about 'Social Security fraud that the DOGE boys unearthed -- which they have provided no evidence of, pnwmom Mar 22 #48

I haven't really kept track Littlered Mar 22 #49

I'm pretty sure things have changed since then FakeNoose Mar 20 #39

The office in my town was SS court/hearing place AKwannabe Mar 20 #40

Last time I went to local SSA, I was scrutinized upon entering the building BadgerKid Mar 20 #16

SSA offices have had security guards for many years due to threats wishstar Mar 20 #20

These people are monsters UpInArms Mar 20 #21

Republican efficiency makes things take a hell of a lot longer and very inconvenient IronLionZion Mar 20 #22

Honestly it sounds hopeless. bucolic_frolic Mar 20 #28

Has anyone filed their taxes this year? Trueblue Texan Mar 20 #29

Thank you for sharing this! pnwmom Mar 20 #31

Spread this far and wide dalton99a Mar 22 #45