From a press release:
Today, Ways & Means Committee Chairman Richard E. Neal (D-MA), Social Security Subcommittee Chairman John B. Larson (D-CT), and Oversight Subcommittee Chairman John Lewis (D-GA) sent a letter to Social Security Administration (SSA) Commissioner Andrew M. Saul stating their opposition to SSA’s resumption of sending “no-match” letters. Specifically, the members cite their concerns that the letters may lead to the firing of U.S. citizens and work-authorized immigrants, that they may result in the unauthorized sharing of tax data, and that they are a poor use of SSA’s scarce resources.
SSA started sending these no-match letters (also known as Educational Correspondence (EDCOR) and Employer Correction Request letters) earlier this year to employers who have a W-2 employee name or Social Security number that does not match SSA’s records. This discrepancy may occur for a variety of reasons, including typographical errors, misspellings of complex names, name changes due to marriage or divorce, or with respect to undocumented workers.
SSA had not sent these letters for years because they have been shown to be wholly ineffective in correcting wage records and not a cost-effective use of the agency’s limited resources. Moreover, SSA is prohibited by law from using its funds for any purpose other than administering Social Security, such as immigration enforcement. ...
I'm no fan of EDCOR letters but to assume that there isn't a program purpose in ensuring that wage reports are accurate is simply asinine. It is the whole basis of the earnings record which should be as accurate as possible. If immigration rides on that activity, it still doesn't make the effort to correct wage reports wrong or non-programmatic.
ReplyDeleteAs a liberal, I advocate this enforcement. Employers who use non-legal immigrants are the problem. They get around paying their employees less and treating them more unfairly (e.g. workers comp).
ReplyDeleteThis is a much better plan than building some bogus wall.
I suspect in regards to employers that 99% walk away with no or startling little in the way of punishment for undercutting American labor. The workers get screwed, but so far. most employers skate away scott free.
ReplyDeleteFunny, we punish those that are working and give benefits to those that don't.
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