Demonstration Near SSA Headquarters

From the Baltimore Sun:

A day after a federal judge ruled that the government could not use mismatched Social Security numbers to crack down on employers who hire illegal immigrants, a coalition of immigrant advocates, faith leaders and workers gathered near the Social Security Administration headquarters in Woodlawn to voice their outrage at the proposal. ...

Interfaith Worker Justice and Maryland immigrant advocacy group Casa of Maryland sponsored the gathering of about 100 people yesterday at St. Gabriel Roman Catholic Church, just blocks from SSA headquarters. ...

Weiss said agency officials declined her group's request for a meeting to express their concerns. So after yesterday's gathering, faith leaders and advocates walked to Social Security headquarters to deliver a letter of opposition addressed to Commissioner Michael J. Astrue.

"The Social Security Administration exists to help people live with security," the letter stated. "Your Administration should never be turned into the immigration police." ...

Maria Welch, president of the Baltimore Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, said that six years ago she received a "no-match" letter after she married and changed her name. "It took six months to get straightened out," she said. "The government doesn't do anything in 90 days." ...

The SSA does not have the resources to handle the crush of people responding to letters, said Witold Skwierczynski, president of the local American Federal Government Employees, which represents the agency's employees.

"We have the lowest staffing levels since 1973," he said. "Anyone who has tried to visit a Social Security office or call the 800 number knows how difficult it is to get service. ... We likely will not be able to meet the 90-day requirement, resulting in people losing their job through no fault of their own."