How Can Illegal Immigrants Legally Receive Social Security?
Q: How can illegal immigrants legally receive Social Security? They dont even pay payroll taxes! A: To receive benefits from Social Security, immigrants must first become legally authorized to work in the United States or a receive a work-authorized Social Security number. That would happen under “guest worker” immigration legislation thats moving in Congress, or the pending U.S./Mexico Social Security Totalization Agreement. Once immigrants have a valid work-authorized Social Security number, both legally and illegally earned wages may be used to determine benefit eligibility. Twenty years ago in 1986, Congress passed legislation that makes it illegal for an employer to knowingly hire anyone not legally permitted to work in the United States. Nevertheless, millions of illegal immigrants can and do work here. According to the Government Accountability Office (GAO), the government has been lax in enforcing penalties. Employers are required by law to ask new hires for a Social Security n
