White House Plan to Push Migrants to Self-Deport Puts Their Government ID in the ‘Death Master File’: Report

Immigrants welcomed into America during the Biden era may find themselves frozen out of their bank accounts under a new strategy being developed by the Trump administration, according to a new report.

According to The New York Times, immigrants who entered through Biden administration programs since canceled by the Trump administration may find themselves in the Social Security “death master file.” The Times report largely relied on sources it did not name.

Leland Dudek, the Social Security Administration’s acting commissioner, sent staff members an saying the “financial lives” of the migrants on the list would be “terminated.”

In a memo to Dudek on Monday, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said the plan would “prevent suspected terrorists who are here illegally” from having “privileges reserved for those with lawful status.”

Names on the list are circulated to federal agencies to prevent benefits fraud, while the list is sold by the Commerce Department to banks who want to block scammers.

The Times report said the new approach targets about 1.4 million people who participated in two programs — the so-called CNVH program that opened the door for 500,000 migrants from Nicaragua, Venezuela and Haiti and the CBP One app that gave 900,000 migrants work permits, so they could enter the U.S. and remain.

The Trump administration has ended those programs and urged participants to self-deport.

The Times report said this week, 6,300 names of immigrants were added to the death file. That was confirmed by the Associated Press.

A White House official told The Washington Post that of those migrants, almost 1,000 are collecting Medicaid benefits; 41 are on unemploymen; and 22 have student loans.

“They have no right to be in the country,” the official said.

Elizabeth Huston, a White House representative, told the Times that using Social Security data will help achieve President Donald Trump’s immigration goals.

“President Trump promised mass deportations, and by removing the monetary incentive for illegal aliens to come and stay, we will encourage them to self-deport,” she said in a statement. “He is delivering on his promise he made to the American people.”

Social Security is also helping the Department of Homeland Security by sharing the addresses of those suspected to be immigrants who should be deported. The Times said Dudek agreed to give DHS 98,000 names.

Martin O’Malley, who was commissioner of the Social Security Administration under former President Joe Biden was aghast at the new plan.

“It’s tantamount to financial murder,” O’Malley said.

Andrew Biggs, who worked for Social Security in the administration of former President George W. Bush, offered a more pragmatic assessment.

“If you favor immigration enforcement, this makes sense,” he said.

Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. Advertise Today.