Carter: Social Security numbers must be protected from fraud by illegal immigrants

U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter (R-GA) on July 25 sponsored a bill supported by nine Republican cosponsors to prevent illegal immigrants from fraudulently using the Social Security numbers of legal citizens for employment in the United States.

“With the crisis we are facing at our border right now, this legislation has never been more important. And it should be bipartisan,” Rep. Carter said. “No matter how you feel about immigration issues, we should all be able to agree that Americans’ Social Security numbers should be protected.”

Rep. Carter introduced the Tax Identity Protection Act, H.R.4005, to require the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to submit a report on the Taxpayer Identification Number Perfection Program. Cosponsors of H.R. 4005 include U.S. Rep. Bill Flores (R-TX).

According to Rep. Carter’s office, a U.S. Treasury Department audit of the IRS found that more than 1.4 million illegal immigrants could be employed under fraudulently obtained Social Security numbers.

The IRS has not taken action due to an automated system that doesn’t allow the agency to decipher between fraud or a mismatch, according to the congressman’s office.

“It’s unbelievable that the IRS knows illegal immigrants are using Americans’ Social Security numbers but refuses to do anything about it,” said Rep. Carter. “I’ve asked the IRS about this, and I was told that they are not even in a position to notify victims that their Social Security number was stolen and is being used fraudulently. Then they just blame it on a computer system.”

If enacted, H.R. 4005 would require the IRS to address in its report how the agency could better identify illegal immigrants who are fraudulently using Social Security numbers.

H.R. 4005 has been referred for consideration to the U.S. House Ways and Means Committee.