A Nebraska senator will introduce a bill Monday that would deny Social Security numbers to illegal immigrants approved for President Obama’s new deportation amnesty, as a congressional study finds that those granted work permits under the amnesty would be eligible for all Social Security benefits.
Sen. Ben Sasse, Nebraska Republican, has written a bill that would prohibit them from getting Social Security numbers. He plans to introduce the legislation on Monday.
Mr. Obama’s policy, announced Nov. 20, would grant “lawful presence” status to illegal immigrants for three years and would grant them work permits that would enable them to get Social Security numbers and driver’s licenses.
The Congressional Research Service, in a memo to the Senate Committee on the Judiciary, said that means those illegal immigrants are able to collect Social Security benefits and receive credit for their work in the U.S. — even for their illegal labor.
“If the individual had work authorization at some point, all of his or her Social Security-covered earnings count toward insured status,” the CRS said in its memo.
The research agency said it may be difficult for illegal immigrants to prove previous work done while in the country illegally, so maximizing those benefits could be difficult.
Mr. Obama’s November policy could apply to as many as 4 million illegal immigrant parents, though analysts predict only about half that many will actually sign up.
Mr. Sasse and Sen. Jeff Sessions, Alabama Republican, last week wrote a letter to the Social Security Administration asking how many numbers have been doled out under a previous amnesty — Mr. Obama’s 2012 policy for so-called “Dreamers,” which granted legal status and work permits to young adult illegal immigrants who came to the U.S. as children.
• Stephen Dinan can be reached at sdinan@washingtontimes.com.
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