According to reports, the Trump administration is moving to include thousands of individuals, who were once holders of temporary legal residency in the U.S., to the Social Security Administration’s registry of deceased individuals. By adding them to what is referred to as the ‘death master file’, the government is essentially deeming these individuals – whose legal immigration standing was invalidated by the Trump administration – as non-existent, thereby rendering their social security numbers, which they relied upon for work and life, as ineffectual. This move has been likened to the ‘end’ of their ‘financial existence.’ So far, it is reported that 5,300 people have been added to the list.
The administration’s stance is that those included in this list are either affiliates of criminal activities or associated with terrorism. However, taking into consideration the prevailing track record of migration enforcement under Trump’s administration, it’s anticipated that this move will cause detrimental and almost unavoidable mistakes. As shared by a source to the Times, the potential for errors in this context is significant as the implications could be dire.
As per a formal statement, it was communicated that this move represents President Trump’s method of ‘eliminating the financial lure which invites illegal immigrants to remain’ in the U.S. The aims include ‘prompting them to leave voluntarily.’ It should be noted that these individuals entered the country under a parole scheme, which allowed them temporary lawful residency along with social security numbers, facilitating them to work.
On the day their legal standing was rescinded, a software engineer reportedly sent the Social Security Administration a list of 6,300 individuals to be included in the ‘death file.’ Although the software professional stated that all the people listed were either associated with ‘acts of terrorism’ or had ‘criminal histories,’ a source informed the Times that the list contained several minors, including a 13-year-old. The involvement of a software engineer in such a high-stakes process is notable, considering the proven track record of misunderstood data.
The data being debated here are individuals on record with a Social Security number, yet without a recorded date of death linked to their profiles. They may or may not be recipients of any benefits. Apart from this, the software firm has also allegedly made several mistakes in the claims it made regarding government savings. Misinterpreting a contract could be considered benign, but wrongly identifying an innocent individual as a terrorist poses entirely different and serious consequences.
The Trump administration, as evidenced by its actions, does not show a high degree of concern over rectifying errors. The direction it’s moving in with these new policies, in effect, treats correctly identified individuals with revoked statuses almost as if they were deceased. By extension, the flawed practice of including children and innocent people on such a list brings more urgent attention to the need for accuracy within this process.
The government’s exertion to involve thousands of previously legal foreign inhabitants in the U.S. into the Social Security Administration’s list of deceased, known as the ‘death master file,’ is a move that has brought on severe criticism. These individuals, who have had their immigrant statuses nullified by the Trump administration, are effectively seen as non-existent. This nullification impacts their life and livelihood drastically, as they are locked out of their ‘financial lives’ due to their once valid social security numbers now being deemed invalid.
The Trump administration’s viewpoint is that those added to this list are either people involved in criminal affairs or associated with terrorist activities. Yet, the current track record of the Trump administration’s migration and immigration policies suggests that this move has a high potential for disastrous implications. An anonymous source shared with the Times, highlighting the magnitude of potential errors that can result from this action and their consequential impacts.
Transmitted via an official statement, it was clarified that this tactic is a part of President Trump’s course of action to ‘dissolve financial incentives drawing illegal immigrants to maintain a stay in the U.S.’ Supposedly, it is a way to ‘urge them to leave of their own accord.’ However, these individuals had arrived in the country under a parole program offering them temporary legal residency and social security numbers which functioned as their work permits.
A software engineer transmitted the names of 6,300 individuals to be included in the ‘death master file’ to the Social Security Administration on the same day their legal status was rescinded. Although the engineer assured that each name belongs to a person involved in ‘terrorist activities’ or who had ‘a criminal background,’ a source revealed to the Times that the list also incorporated several minors, the youngest among them being just 13. This significant involvement of a software engineer is peculiar, especially against the backdrop of previous experiences of data misinterpretation.
The disputed data highlights people with a Social Security number but without a date of death associated with their records. It doesn’t necessarily indicate that these individuals are benefit recipients. Moreover, the software company responsible for this listing has a track record of making erroneous claims related to government savings. While mistaken identity in contracts may not be highly consequential, the misidentification of an unoffending person as a felon or terrorist is a serious issue.
Unfortunately, the Trump administration’s approach doesn’t seem inclined towards rectifying its lapses. Evidence lies in their policies including individuals whose statuses have rightfully been rescinded, and their consequential treatment, likened to be as if they were deceased. The erroneous practice of including children and innocent people on the list amplifies the gravity of the situation and reflects an urgent need for painstaking accuracy in this process.