A highly contentious debate over immigration reform is underway in Congress.  The Senate is considering whether legislation should allow an estimated 11 million immigrants in this country illegally to gain legal status, for a period of time as "guest workers"— or if they should be compelled to leave the country.  In the House, the Subcommittee on Social Security recently held hearings about the procedures that the Social Security Administration uses to issue numbers and benefits to the "foreign-born." 

TSCL is fiercely fighting the "guest worker" proposal and a related, highly controversial U.S./Mexico Social Security totalization agreement because of the enormous potential cost to Social Security.  With the system already facing long-term financing problems, the drain could trigger deep cuts affecting both current and future retirees.

Although the Social Security Administration has taken some steps to improve the process by which they issue Social Security numbers to immigrants, the testimony of Barbara Bovbjerg of the Government Accountability Office raises concerns about pending totalization, saying "Changes in immigration laws and shortcomings in the enforcement of those laws make it difficult for SSA to identify non-citizens who are eligible for Social Security numbers and for benefit payments."

Under the guest worker proposal, millions of illegal immigrants, more than half of whom come from Mexico, would gain legal status (at least for a period of time) and access to valid Social Security numbers if they can prove they have a job.  Social Security law permits immigrants who later get Social Security numbers authorizing them to work, to have the work they performed while they were illegal, credited to their Social Security record and to be counted towards retirement benefits.  Immigrants may thus draw Social Security based on illegal work. 

A similar situation, would also be the case under the pending U.S./Mexico Totalization agreement.  TSCL views the guest worker proposal and Totalization with Mexico as a form of amnesty and an incentive for more illegal immigration. 

TSCL has geared up for a hard fight.  State governors, business interests, and even the government of Mexico are pressing Congress to enact comprehensive immigration legislation that includes a guest worker program.  TSCL recently petitioned Congress for "redress of grievances" to stop the U.S./Mexico Social Security Totalization agreement while thousands of the grassroots TSCL supporters placed their names on petitions and in ads appealing to lawmakers.  TSCL is continuing to mobilize seniors nationwide and urges readers of The Advisor to contact your Senators to vote "no" to "guest workers".

Sources:  "Congress To Debate Whether Migrants Can Stay," Alfonso Chardy, Knight Ridder Newspapers, February 20, 2006.

May 2006