November
2007
Judge Blocks Enforcement
Against Social Security Fraud by Illegals
federal judge appointed by President Bill Clinton ruled
last month that businesses hiring illegal aliens would be
"irreparably harmed" if the federal government
required that the names of employees matched the names on
file with the Social Security administration.
In effect, the ruling allows employers to continue hire
illegal aliens using fake or stolen Social Security numbers
without punishment.
U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer, younger brother of the
far left Supreme Court Justice Stephen G. Breyer who was
also appointed by Clinton, issued an order saying the Department
of Homeland Security could not go forward with plans announced
in August to send letters warning employers that they will
face fines if they hire workers whose Social Security numbers
do not match their names. His preliminary injunction will
remain in effect until a pending lawsuit brought by a well-funded
pro-immigration coaltion including the left-wing American
Civil Liberties Union and the conservative U.S. Chamber
of Commerce goes to trial next year.
Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said in August
that his agency planned to enforce the rules requiring employers
to hire only workers legally entitled to work in the U.S.
in an effort to stir up enough anger among employers that
he hoped would force them to put pressure on members of
Congress to grant amnesty to millions of illegal aliens.
But the scheme backfired when angry wealthy business groups
teamed up with left-wing activists and pro-immigration organizations
to torpedo the rules against hiring illegal aliens with
stolen Social Security numbers.
The government knows that illegal alien workers frequently
use the Social Security numbers of unsuspecting Americans,
but until last August had steadfastly refused to disclose
which workers were using suspect numbers, and still refuses
to notify the legitimate owners that their Social Security
numbers are being used illegally.
Instead of noticing that the court ruling allows continued
lawbreaking by illegal aliens and their unscrupulous employers,
Chertoff said the order from Judge Breyer is another reason
that Congress should pass amnesty for illegal aliens. "Today's
ruling is yet another reminder of why we need Congress to
enact comprehensive immigration reform," he said. The
word "comprehensive" is used by pro-immigration
forces as a code word for "amnesty," which they
believe will stir up too much public opposition.
Under the laws that Breyer decided the government may not
enforce, employers are required to to verify that their
workers are legally entitled to work by collecting their
Social Security numbers and forwarding wage reports for
those workers to the government. Nearly 10 percent of the
250 million wage reports sent to the Social Security administration
each year do not match the names on file, according to the
government's own figures. Some mis-matches are due to simple
record-keeping errors, but most are likely the result of
outright fraud.
More than 10 million Americans fall victim to identity theft
each year, the government says.
