When Elon Musk and his DOGE colleague Antonio Gracias showed a Wisconsin audience how non-citizens get Social Security Numbers (SSNs), their presentation painted the clearest picture yet of the long-term damage former President Joe Biden’s open border policy will have on the United States.
I hope you caught the Townhall Elon Musk hosted tonight in Greenbay Wisconsin
Elon Musk and Antonio Gracias reveal shocking chart of new non-citizen Social Security Numbers issued.
“This is a mind blowing chart” Understatement! pic.twitter.com/Vh8oWSH3jo
— Moni 💕 (@MoniFunGirl) March 31, 2025
The total SSNs issued in 2021 was roughly 270,000; in 2022 it climbed to 590,000, and in 2023, there were 964,000 SSNs issued to new non-citizens. But in 2024 it more than doubled to over 2 million. This counts only non-citizens who got their SSNs through the Enumeration Beyond Entry program, a system where the Social Security Administration automatically issues SSNs and cards to certain foreign nationals in the U.S., as part of an agreement with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
Your data is apples to oranges. The data you show for the 2016 to 2020 period is enumeration for all immigrants in ALL forms. The data we showed in our slide last night in Wisconsin was just Enumeration Beyond Entry (“EBE”) immigrants. The difference is Enumerations at Field… https://t.co/iDaFPbcL0u pic.twitter.com/XNNFQb51Di
— agracias (@AntonioGracias) April 1, 2025
Get a High-Paying Job
With a work authorization card in their wallet, non-citizens can find legitimate work. Work at higher wages is the main reason people come to the U.S.,
Collect Social Security Benefits
Let’s say you are an American who started working at 16 and retired at 67. You’ve been paying into Social Security with every paycheck for 51 years. Non-citizens can draw Social Security after working 40 quarters — that is 10 years.
“Even if you’re here unlawfully, so long as you work for 40 quarters, which is 10 years, you’re eligible for Social Security benefits,” Arthur said.
It means millions of people will get full benefits without contributing decades of income to the fund.
You don’t have to be a math whiz to know that is not sustainable.
Social Security Numbers are Forever
Social Security Numbers don’t expire; once a non-citizen has one, they keep it, no matter where life takes them.
“You now have a population of a million or more who have valid Social Security Numbers, who will be able to work, albeit illegally, in the United States forever,” Arthur said. “Even if Trump took away all of their statuses tomorrow and all their work authorization, they could still work because an employer can’t ask to look at your employment authorization document. The employer can only ask for certain documents, and the two most common are driver’s licenses and Social Security cards.”
Benefits For Babies
President Donald Trump aims to end birthright citizenship. Under Biden and for years before his term, babies born on U.S. soil to illegally present parents have been granted citizenship, and the SNAP food benefits, free healthcare, free education, and other free services that go to citizens in need (and in some cases non-citizens from certain countries and circumstances.)
Vote
Only U.S. citizens are allowed to vote in federal elections. But a Social Security Number provides the opportunity for fraud. Many states let voters register via mail by providing either a driver’s license number or a the last four digits of their SSN. A non-citizen could use their SSN to register, then vote absentee. County election workers who check the SSN against the database of numbers would find the number valid, with no clue it is a non-citizen.