Illegal Immigration – Identity Theft – Social Security
In the United States of America a Social Security Number is a nine-digit number issued to U.S. citizens, permanent residents and temporary (working) residents under Section 25 of the Social Security Act. The number is issued to an individual by the Social Security Administration, an independent agency of the United States government.
Two cases of illegal immigration are outlined in this article. They involve the Social Security Number and the crime of Identity Theft
Nydia’s mother never learned English. Her father worked at two jobs to support his family and was seldom at home. Cousins, aunts and uncles lived in Nydia’s home from time to time. They spoke Spanish only.
When Nydia entered school at age five, she was overwhelmed by the English speaking environment. However, she was lucky because her school offered bilingual classes through Grade Two. Nydia was translating for her family. She became a good student. When she was 18, she was excited about attending a nearby college and maybe getting a scholarship.
As she was filling out the forms, she came to a space for her Social Security number. When she asked her parents for the number they informed her that she didn’t have one. Nydia was shocked. She learned that she had entered the United States illegally with her parents when she was just a year old. She was an undocumented immigrant. Her family had crossed the border into the United States with the help of a coyote.
Nydia’s boy friend Luis had high hopes of realizing his dream of entering the U.S. Navy. The Navy turned him down because he had a police record and had spent three years in prison. At the time of this incarceration, Luis was only three years old. Over the course of the next year, Luis discovered that his Social Security number had been used by ten different individuals.
Luis’ parents had entered the U.S. on work visas which allowed them to stay in the U.S. for five years. Luis was born in the U.S., an anchor child, and had been assigned a Social Security number. When his parents’ visas ran out they did not leave. So, they became undocumented immigrants. They took their income under the table and avoided the census takers.
It is a violation of the U.S. Constitution to deny any child a public education. America, in good faith, kept its covenant with Nydia and Luis. Both sets of parents created serious problems for their children.
No Social Security number – Identity Theft – Illegal Immigration – Undocumented Individuals. These are problems that must be managed. Efforts to pass new immigration legislation have failed to provide solutions.
For those of us who are U.S. citizens and have an SSN. it is important to avoid losing our identity to mail and identity thieves. Investing in a locking mailbox has become a necessity.
