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Secret policy shift could overwhelm Social Security offices with millions of people - Popular.info
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.
Even though the EBE program has been in place for years, people with new or pending work authorization applications have not been informed. Although staff was instructed to implement the new policy immediately, there were no public communications about the change. As part of the USCIS work authorization form, applicants are told SSA will issue them a Social Security card upon approval.
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.
Even though the EBE program has been in place for years, people with new or pending work authorization applications have not been informed. Although staff was instructed to implement the new policy immediately, there were no public communications about the change. As part of the USCIS work authorization form, applicants are told SSA will issue them a Social Security card upon approval.
https://popular.info/p/exclusive-secret-policy-shift-could
