Illegal aliens a Social Security boon

[Troubleshooter]

http://www.wpherald.com/storyview.ph...5-095501-6756r

By UNITED PRESS INTERNATIONAL
Published April 5, 2005

STOCKTON, California -- Illegal aliens contribute $7 billion a year to U.S. Social Security coffers, and, given their immigrations status, are unlikely to ever collect benefits.

With debates in Congress over immigration and Social Security, the cross between the two issues has taken an interesting turn. There are an estimated 7 million illegal immigrants in the United States and they pay some $7 billion a year into the Social Security system, The New York Times reported.

The newspaper said the Social Security Administration, beginning in the 1980s, noticed a large number of W-2 reports with incorrect or faked Social Security numbers. Over the 1990s some $189 billion worth of wages were records by the SSA, the Times said.

The time frame coincides with the 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act, which set penalties for people who knowingly hire illegal aliens. A brisk business in fake identification and SSNs quickly grew, provided legal cover for the employers and, so far, a windfall for the SSA.

An SSA official told the Times the administration estimated 3/4 of illegal immigrants -- estimated by the Census Bureau at 3.8 million households -- pay payroll taxes. Those immigrants are not eligible to receive Social Security benefits.