That thing they tell me never happens, happened again.
If a foreign national (non-US citizen) is in the US, is awaiting an immigration hearing, and is granted a work authorization, is that person considered to be in the country illegally? They're documented. That's what's happening - the individuals are authorized to be in the US while awaiting judicial action. And these individuals are issued Social Security numbers when they're granted work authorizations to work in the US. That was nothing new under Biden; it didn't even require an Executive Order. It's been in the Social Security laws since they went into effect in the 1940's. Basically, if they're in the US, then the government wants them working and paying Income Taxes, as well as paying into Social Security and Medicare (because it's one of the things keeping those programs as marginally solvent as they are).
But Biden did take it to a bureaucratically expedient extreme. "RealRobert" evidently didn't get the memo:
Interoffice Memo: Department of Questionable Bureaucratic Expediency
Subject: Issuance of Social Security Numbers to the Uninvited Yet Authorized
Dear Stakeholders in the Theater of Legitimacy,
In accordance with our new policy of
Compassionate Expediency, we have successfully issued Social Security numbers to individuals who entered the country without permission, but with undeniable persistence. These identifiers - once reserved for citizens and lawful residents - are now available to anyone who can survive a desert, dodge a drone, and file
Form I-765 with a straight face.
Rationale:
- If you apply for asylum, you’re technically in legal limbo.
- If you’re in legal limbo, you deserve a number.
- If you have a number, you can work.
- If you can work, you might stop sleeping in city parks.
- If you stop sleeping in city parks, mayors stop yelling at us.
Operational Notes:
- Social Security numbers are permanent. Like tattoos, but with tax implications.
- Work permits may expire, but the number lives on - an eternal flame of bureaucratic optimism.
- Benefits? Not yet. But the infrastructure is warming up.
Public Messaging Strategy:
- Emphasize “humanitarian parole,” “temporary protected status,” and “asylum eligibility.”
- Avoid phrases like “illegal,” “backdoor,” or “identity laundering.”
- If pressed, cite compassion. If cornered, cite precedent. If televised, smile.
We remain committed to balancing the rule of law with the rule of vibes. Thank you for your continued service in the Great American Sorting Hat.
Warm regards,
Deputy Undersecretary for Policy Over-Reach
Department of Bureaucratic Expediency