Social security freeze causes chaos for millions of legal US immigrants

Millions of legal immigrants in the United States may now find themselves unable to work due to a quiet but impactful policy change by the Social Security Administration (SSA).

On March 19, 2025, the SSA paused the Enumeration Beyond Entry (EBE) program without public notice.

This program, which started in 2017 under the Trump administration, allowed the SSA to automatically issue Social Security numbers (SSNs) to immigrants.

These are immigrants who had been approved for work authorization or naturalization through information shared by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

With the EBE program halted, individuals must now visit an SSA field office in person to apply for an SSN.

This process reportedly adds significant delays and complications for newly authorized workers.

This sudden change affects millions annually and puts additional strain on SSA offices, already facing staffing cuts and logistical hurdles.

Following the suspension of the program, a memo from the Trump administration dated April 15 sought to block undocumented immigrants from accessing Social Security benefits.

Although no evidence was presented to justify the move.

President Donald Trump, has pushed false claims that immigrants are abusing the system to vote illegally or fraudulently obtain benefits.

This he did, along with billionaire Elon Musk—former head of the so-called “Department of Government Efficiency” (Doge).

In reality, unauthorized immigrants are not eligible for Social Security or Medicare benefits.

Economist Geoffrey Sanzenbacher of Boston College noted there is no evidence of widespread fraud in benefit distribution.

The consequences of the EBE suspension are already being felt.

Lee Thacker, a Welsh citizen who moved to Minnesota with his American wife, received his work authorization card in April 2025.

Expecting to receive his SSN automatically within two weeks, Thacker began applying for jobs and even received an offer.

But without a Social Security number, he was unable to pass the mandatory background check and lost the opportunity.

Despite having followed the usual steps, including checking the box on form I-765 to request an SSN, Thacker was not informed of the policy change until he visited an SSA field office.

“It’s incredibly frustrating,” said Thacker.

“I’m legally authorized to work, but practically I can’t because employers won’t hire me without a Social Security number.”

He reportedly paid $260 for his employment authorization card and received no prior warning that the automatic SSN issuance had been paused.

The disruption is widespread.

In 2024 alone, USCIS approved 3.24 million initial employment authorization documents.

Under the EBE program, issuing an SSN cost just $8, compared to $55.80 when processed manually in a field office.

Now, SSA field offices, already downsizing by at least 12% and facing office closures, are burdened further.

The SSA estimates the pause could result in 1.93 million additional in-person visits each year, an overwhelming increase for an already strained system.

The impact extends beyond employment.

Hope Rudasill from North Carolina shared how her husband, awaiting his SSN after filing for work authorization, is unable to begin job hunting, apply for a driver’s license, or open a joint bank account.

This, in turn, hinders their immigration process.

It comes as shared financial documents are often required to prove marital legitimacy in adjustment of status interviews.

“This has created so much stress,” Rudasill said.

“We were told the Social Security card would be issued automatically, and now everything is delayed.”

Jennifer Bade, an immigration attorney in Boston, noted the growing frustration among her clients.

“It’s causing real harm.

“People have to miss work, deal with language barriers, and face delays that make it harder to start jobs, open accounts, or even get loans.

“Pausing this program serves no practical purpose. It’s just another attack on immigrants,” Bade added.

Democrats on the House Oversight Committee have urged the SSA to reverse the freeze.

The late Rep. Gerald Connolly, then a ranking committee member, reported that the SSA’s acting commissioner approved the pause despite internal concerns about its legal implications and practical fallout.

The SSA finally confirmed the pause in an email.

He stated that the EBE program is currently suspended for individuals granted work authorization (form I-765) and newly naturalized citizens (form N-400) for a 90-day evaluation period.

However, EBE applications for legal permanent residents (form I-485) and those submitted before March 18, 2025, will still be processed.

The USCIS did not respond to repeated requests for comment.

As staffing cuts and office closures continue, immigration advocates warn that the consequences of this administrative change could be long-lasting.

They stress that it could leave many legal immigrants stuck in limbo despite being authorized to work in the U.S.

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