Trump administration voids immigrants’ Social Security status to push ‘self-deportation’

ISTANBUL

The US Social Security Administration (SSA) has begun voiding the Social Security numbers of thousands of immigrants with temporary legal status to push them to “self-deport,” US media reported Thursday, citing multiple sources familiar with the matter.

The move effectively makes the immigrants "financially dead" in official systems, and since banks and financial institutions use SSA records to confirm identity, the change could deny them access to essential services and push them to leave the US.

According to three sources speaking to CBS News, the SSA recently renamed its “death master file” — a database used to prevent deceased individuals from receiving benefits — to the “ineligible master file.” Under this label, immigrants are being listed as deceased, with fabricated dates.

This reclassification disables their Social Security numbers and blocks access to government services. In March, the agency warned that inaccurate reports of death could cause serious “financial hardship” and may be hard to reverse.

The first group placed in the newly labeled “ineligible master file” reportedly includes more than 6,000 immigrants who entered the US through former President Joe Biden’s parole program, according to sources cited by CBS News and The Washington Post.

The White House said the policy aims to push immigrants with “financial incentives” to leave the country voluntarily.

"President Trump promised mass deportations and by removing the monetary incentive for illegal aliens to come and stay, we will encourage them to self-deport. He is delivering on his promise he made to the American people," White House spokeswoman Elizabeth Huston said.

Sources say the initial group moved to the file includes individuals with criminal records or those the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) claims have terrorism links.

However, concerns are growing among Social Security staff and immigration experts that others with valid Social Security numbers — such as individuals with work authorization or those who entered under the “Enumeration Beyond Entry” program — may also be affected in the future.

Lawful immigrants must meet specific eligibility criteria to access Social Security benefits.