EXCLUSIVE: Secret policy shift could overwhelm Social Security offices with millions of people

[highplainsdem]

Source: Popular.info

On Wednesday, the Social Security Administration (SSA) enacted a new policy that could impose massive demands on the agency's overburdened network of field offices, according to an internal SSA message obtained by Popular Information. Although the new policy will impact millions annually, it was not publicly announced. "The havoc and destruction they’re causing is no doubt going to break the agency and hurt the public," an SSA source familiar with the new policy said.

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.

-snip-

Read more: https://popular.info/p/exclusive-secret-policy-shift-could

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According to Judd Legum's article, this could mean another 75,000 people a week sent to their local SSA offices, already understaffed and becoming more understaffed, thanks to DOGE.

And this is on top of the policy change that will force many more elderly and disabled SS recipients to make in-person visits to those offices.

This is deliberate malicious sabotage of Social Security.

Judd Legum's Bluesky thread:

https://bsky.app/profile/juddlegum.bsky.social/post/3lksqgczrq22f

[Irish_Dem]

1. It would take months to get an appointment.

And no SS payments until your appointment date and approval.

[FSogol]

2. It will take weeks to find a parking space.

[Irish_Dem]

5. You have to make a separate appointment to get a parking space.

[FSogol]

10. Fill out these seven forms and mail or call and wait on hold for 14-37 hours.

[Irish_Dem]

13. And then it is not an actual appointment, just permission to sit in the waiting room

and maybe someone will see you, maybe not.

[FSogol]

24. And remember to make the process as complicated as possible. We are dealing with senior citizens and new arrivals here!

[Irish_Dem]

33. Yes. Lots of paperwork and forms to fill out. And documents to bring to the appt.

So older people will have to come back the next day again to actually see a SS worker.

[Eliot Rosewater]

30. Here is what I wanna know, what are we going to do

Who is going to organize what will be necessary as in 100 million Americans in the streets banging on the doors of Republicans?

[Irish_Dem]

34. Some people here have suggested that if SS and Medicare are cut or ended

there will be no need to get anything organized. A lot of very angry people with nothing to lose
with take care of the situation.

[Eliot Rosewater]

35. I wonder though. Most of us do not have guns, most of us are not in physical shape to fight physically.

Most of us dont have the money needed to travel to wherever to make the most out of EXTREME protest.

The people doing it to us have armies protecting them, literally.

I hope you are right, but I dont know.

[kysrsoze]

3. This will be an epic disaster. People will have the pitchforks out if this happens.

[LiberalArkie]

23. That does not bother the people in DC as all the anger will be directed at the people in the local office, as always.

If you are in a line at a government office for a few hours after the staff has been cut, where is your anger directed? At your state or federal officials or at the person in front of you?

That is how the game has always been played down here in the south.

[calimary]

25. Good to keep in mind.

The bad guys here aren’t local. But the local guys are the ones who always get stuck dealing with angry taxpayers.

[Magoo48]

27. Massive grassroots movement is already way overdue.

When he fucks with access to our needs,
We must, by the millions, blockade something he wants.

[Bengus81]

4. That's what Republicans want. Throw your hands in the air and say fuck it,shut it down.

Make a total shit show, cluster fuck of a program that's worked well for 90 years. I can hear Trump and Republicans now, Ehh...nothing to do but just end it now...but we'll look at a replacement down the line.

Yeah you will,just like your health care plan........

[StarryNite]

12. I'm sure the felon has a concept.

[BumRushDaShow]

6. No "could" about it

It's already jammed packed with whatever offices they have/had (before cuts). I know the last time I went to my local office last year (and this is in a big city - Philly), I was in there for a couple hours before my number finally got called. I wanted to hand someone, IN PERSON, my completed W-4V form ( "Voluntary Withholding" for federal taxes) to make sure they got it (vs mailing it). Back after I had retired, I had already gone through the phone tag hell for making sure my work history was correct (especially since I was in a weird group of CSRS-Offset, with a split annuity & SS).

The customer service rep entered the info into the system right then and there after verifying the % that I selected. I told her that I had hoped my request would at least be "easy" for her and she chuckled. The withholdings started with the next check.

[Bayard]

7. They're doing this gradually,

Hoping no one will notice when they actually start cutting our payments.

[NotHardly]

9. Secret rules, secret laws, secret courts ... next up, secret executions of citizens

[bluestarone]

11. Has anybody sued to get him to stop with the closure of SS offices?

I've heard nothing about this, other than the fact that he's doing it.

[wishstar]

17. Many on the DOGE closing lists are NOT going to close-Repub politicians have stepped in

For example in NC news reports have stated that at least these 4 offices willl not be closed- Franklin, Roanoke Rapids, Greenville and Elizabeth City. Apparently the 2 NC Republican Senators and Repubs in Congress have stopped DOGE's plans to end their leases. Haven't heard what is happening in places represented by more Democrats.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

14. Why wait? Do it ** now **. Good form of mass action to overwhelm them now with millions of people

Go there to ask for an appointment. (I had been thinking of the way it is here. You walk into the Service Canada office downtown, speak to a human immediately, get service after a short wait or an appointment or you are given the needed forms.)

Go in person. Bring a book or a downloaded movie, beverage, folding chair.

Go to ask a person to check up on your status with SSI. Ask a specific question or two and a follow up. Take your time to understand the answer.

Fill the chairs in the waiting room. Fill the waiting room. Fill the waiting room so much that they call the fire marshal.

Form lines outside. Make new friends. Motivate them to specific actions. Recruit for upcoming protest marches.

The more people the better. The sooner the better.

And then come back another day. However many days it takes.

Mass action.

[AKwannabe]

18. This

Is brilliant!

[Bernardo de La Paz]

19. Do it for all government offices you might possibly interact with. . . . nt

[AKwannabe]

15. Had to go to a SS office in person in 2012 when my dad passed.

It was a SHITSHOW then!

Security was worse than TSA!

Way to go stupid men! Way to fucking go!

[Littlered]

26. I will suffer the shit show

If it helps keep the system honest. Personally, I’ve never had any “good luck” when dealing with the fed at any level. But that’s just my experience.

[pnwmom]

32. CLOSING offices, FIRING employees, and giving the remaining MORE WORK to do will not make the system more honest.

And it will definitely not improve your experience dealing with the SS system.

Did you even read the article? It will break the system, and that is the purpose.,

[Littlered]

36. I'm not buying into the hyperbole.

Sorry.

[pnwmom]

37. It's not hyperbole. It's numbers, but maybe that's too complicated for you. nt

[Littlered]

38. Can you point me to the order/law that has been laid down mandating this?

I didn’t think so, so yeah hyperbole. I’ll react when something actually happens until then I’ll worry about the things that I actually have control over. I guess when you get to 100k plus posts it’s okay to insult the plebs. Good for you.

[pnwmom]

41. If you'd read the article at the OP you'd have seen the link answering your question. Here's the SSA press release.

Tuesday, March 18, 2025
For Immediate Release
Mark Hinkle, Press Officer
[e-mail]

Social Security Strengthens Identity Proofing Requirements and Expedites Direct Deposit Changes to One Day

The Social Security Administration (SSA) is taking proactive steps to enhance the security of its services by implementing stronger identity verification procedures. The updated measures will further safeguard Social Security records and benefits against fraudulent activity. Over the next two weeks, SSA will carefully transition to stronger identity proofing procedures for both benefit claims and direct deposit changes. Individuals seeking these services who cannot use their personal “my Social Security” account, which requires online identity proofing, will then need to visit a local Social Security office to prove their identity in person. At the same time, the agency will expedite processing all direct deposit change requests – both in person and online – to one business day. Prior to this change, online direct deposit changes were held for 30 days.

https://www.ssa.gov/news/press/releases/2025/#2025-03-18




Many elderly and disabled people are not capable online and would have difficulty going to an office, especially if it's closed. That directive will cause much more in-person work for the SS offices, which are losing staff -- and 47 are being closed.

[Littlered]

42. Some people only see the negatives I guess.

It sounds like the process will be sped up dramatically. Seemingly (from the link) it only affects people making new claims or changes to their direct deposit. Not millions upon millions of people as the article insinuates . And you can also do it on-line. I’m just not seeing the reason to be apoplectic.

At most, it’s a minor inconvenience to help mitigate fraud. That’s a good thing right?

How would you approach this?

[pnwmom]

43. Millions of people every year make new Social Security claims or change their direct deposit.

This is an undisputed fact (except by you). And many people of Social Security age and above aren't as comfortable as you would be navigating the online system; and they might only be using their phones to get online, if they go online at all.

I would "approach this" by not shutting down busy Social Security offices and not firing busy staffers who are doing their best to help seniors and disabled people manage their payments by phone or in person. The solution to the funding problem isn't to make it harder for people on Social Security to receive their payments. It's to fix the broken tax system that means billionaires like Elon can get away with paying zero taxes in a year.

[Littlered]

44. This has nothing to do with funding

And Everything to do with fraud. Which you seem to be okay with.

[pnwmom]

46. There has been ZERO evidence of significant fraud. First, they claimed that millions of accounts appeared

to belong to people 150 years old. That was either complete ignorance or a deliberate lie -- one or the other. The accounts they'd found were in a file of accounts NOT being paid out.

Then they were shocked to discover CHILDREN receiving Social Security. Well, that wasn't fraud either. When parents die or are disabled, children legally receive benefits.

[Littlered]

47. Oh my.

There has been is no shortage of people on our side of the isle claiming otherwise over the years.

Getting back to the origin of my first reply. The article is hyperbole. The author is making claims that simply aren’t true. All it does is panic people based on the authors distorted view behind the purpose of the rule. The rule is plainly written. Easy to understand. There is plenty to hate when it comes to the present administration. From my point of view, this will be a minor inconvenience at the worst. I don’t really feel I have anything more to say on the subject. I will leave you with a few links though.

Notice the dates. https://www.ice.gov/news/releases/106-defendants-indicted-social-security-disability-fraud-costing-federal-taxpayers

https://oig.ssa.gov/news-releases/2020-07-29-audits-and-investigations-investigations-july29-fl-eleven-individuals-operation-dead-ringer/

https://www.aarp.org/money/scams-fraud/man-deposits-dead-aunt-social-security/

https://oig.ssa.gov/news-releases/2021-11-26-appleton-man-sentenced-to-prison-for-defrauding-social-security-of-over-73-500-in-supplemental-security-income-benefits/

https://www.ussc.gov/research/quick-facts/government-benefits-fraud

Shall I continue? That took about a minute. Have a great day. Try to find something good out here.

[pnwmom]

48. The issue is about 'Social Security fraud that the DOGE boys unearthed -- which they have provided no evidence of,

except the claims I already mentioned.

Your links to PAST fraud prosecutions prove the opposite of what you think, but thanks. . All they prove is that the Social Security Inspector General and others involved in keeping the system safe have been doing their jobs and prosecuting fraud they had discovered. They shouldn't have been fired by DOGE and pushed aside so the gang of computer hackers could rummage around in the system.

[Littlered]

49. I haven't really kept track

Of their claims. I am going to say one thing. And I’m sorry if this goes way off topic.

I have been listening to their reasoning. I have been giving the horse a chance to speak. And by my (armchair) thinking. Elon/Doge are as they claim. I know people are looking for a reason to hate that guy. I have been one of them. Is it too absurd to believe the guy is being honest and upfront? The guy that plugged along, and almost brought electric cars into the mainstream. I know he didn’t create the “electric vehicle” but he did take a company that probably would have failed (like the rest at that time ) and turn it into a wonderful thing. Did you know, The Tesla Model 3 is the most American built car? Actually it’s tied with a Honda product at 70% American. So when you are wishing for the guy to fail, you are in turn, wishing ill upon your fellow Americans. I dunno, this is where my head is at presently. With that being said.

I have no faith that those few cases I presented in my last post represents the entirety of the fraud that was caught and prosecuted.

What do you do when you have a system that’s rife with abuse and downright fraud? Well I suppose one would have to agree that those items actually exist. Presuming they do. How do we evolve this into to something that matters? Every person I know, when it comes to social security and Medicare, say the same thing in unison. I paid into it. I’ve earned it. Don’t fuck with it, period. I’m one of those. Now tell those same people we are also going to add these new people to the system, unfortunately they never paid into it. So we might have to reduce your benefits to cover the loss. Many of those people are in the disability area. Which became a cottage industry for attorneys decades ago.

So what we have, in reality, is a healthcare crises. Most people don’t even know the difference between Medicaid and Medicare. Instead of Medicare for all, we should be shouting Medicaid for all. Separate that away from Social Security you finally have a working system. In my humble opinion.

Alright, I’m into my cups and had better put the iPad down, lol. Have a good evening. And thanks for debating/corresponding with me. I appreciate it.

[FakeNoose]

39. I'm pretty sure things have changed since then

I went to my SSA office 2 years ago to start my SS claim and they had a security guard at the entrance. The door was locked until I was checked in, including the guard asking me if I was carrying any weapons. (!) People in the waiting room were all well-behaved.

Once I was checked in I had a brief wait to see the SSA agent of less than 15 minutes. Even though I had enrolled for benefits online, they needed to see actual IDs, not copies, before my claim was accepted. Once I got in front of the SSA agent, explained my situation, showed her the IDs, it was quickly a done deal. My benefit claim was entered immediately and they paid retroactively for the back months. The entire visit took less than a half hour, and I was out of there. Easy-peasy.

The monkey wrench that Chump is throwing in now is that the local small-town SSA offices are being closed, and it means people will need to travel maybe 100 or 150 miles to the nearest big-city federal SSA office. THAT really sucks!

[AKwannabe]

40. The office in my town was SS court/hearing place

It was full fledged walk thru scanner as well as all items in bins from pockets and my purse phone etc. just like a tsa check.

In 2012. It can only be worse now.
I don’t live there anymore tho.

[BadgerKid]

16. Last time I went to local SSA, I was scrutinized upon entering the building

by an armed officer. I wondered if visitors having meltdowns there isn't unheard of.

[wishstar]

20. SSA offices have had security guards for many years due to threats

About 35 years ago when our office in NC was located in a Federal Building where US Marshals searched people at entry, there were so many confiscated weapons and violent threats that the Marshals and other Federal officials there requested that SS vacate the building and move elsewhere to a privately leased building where they hired private security guards. After damage to the new SS facility from a disgruntled customer ramming his truck into the front entry, they had to install barriers.

[UpInArms]

21. These people are monsters

There are no words to describe their terrorism

[IronLionZion]

22. Republican efficiency makes things take a hell of a lot longer and very inconvenient

by design. Due to office closures, if the nearest office is hours away then you must be here illegally and need immediate deportation to an ICE detention facility. Too bad.

[bucolic_frolic]

28. Honestly it sounds hopeless.

Nothing will change until 2027 when a new Congress gets involved. If there is a new Congress. Or if Congress still meets.

[Trueblue Texan]

29. Has anyone filed their taxes this year?

You'll have to jump through a bunch of hoops to access your IRS account online...2 forms of id PLUS a video conference where an interviewer assesses the validity of your documents. Really creepy.

[pnwmom]

31. Thank you for sharing this!

[dalton99a]

45. Spread this far and wide