Evidence of Social Security fraud Ignored by Government

The defenders of illegal immigration prefer to call them "undocumented workers." The truth is many of them are documented, possibly with your social security number. Counties have been publishing public records such as court documents, marriage and divorce records Only six states redact the documents before they are posted on the Internet. The state of Ohio was forced by court order to do so just recently.

Florida, Ohio and other statesare trying to get sensitive personal data off official Web sites before identity thieves find it.

Privacy advocates say it can take months to remove Social Security numbers and other data from the sites, USA Today reported.

The newspaper said at least six states use redaction software, which digitally erases information.

Florida's Manatee County removed Social Security and bank account numbers from 3 million public records on the county's official Web site. Another 2.5 million court records were redacted before going online.

The newspaper said Florida was the first of several states to pass laws requiring counties to redact sensitive information.

A federal judge last month approved a settlement forcing the removal of Social Security numbers from financial documents posted on the Ohio Secretary of State's Web site.

Until the rest of the states discover how stupid a practice not redacting a SSN from public records is, one should contact one's county office of records and see to it that this is done for one's personal records.

More perplexing is the agencies that handle tax enforcement such as the IRS have no interest in investigating or alerting anyone to the obvious evidence of fraudulent use of SSNs. It makes one wonder where the government's priorities are. The shielding of illegal activity from scrutiny implies an approval of that activity. The fact that those being shielded are illegal immigrants who are victimizing citizens calls into question their loyalty to national interest.

Two federal agencies are refusing to turn over a mountain of evidence that investigators could use to indict the nation's burgeoning work force of illegal immigrants and the firms that employ them.

Hiding behind privacy laws does not excuse concealing criminal activity. Congress needs to get busy and pass legislation forcing these agencies to report illegal activity that is so painfully obvious that a five year old would recognize it.

Evidence abounds within their files, according to an analysis by Knight Ridder Newspapers and The Charlotte Observer.

One internal study found that a restaurant company had submitted 4,100 duplicate Social Security numbers for workers. Other firms submit inaccurate names or numbers for nearly all their employees. One child's Social Security number was used 742 times by workers in 42 states.

"That's the kind of evidence we want," says Paul Charlton, the U.S. attorney in Arizona. "If you see the same Social Security number a thousand times, it's kind of hard for them to argue they didn't know."

The potential crimes are so obvious that the failure to provide such information to investigators raises questions about Washington's determination to end the widespread hiring of illegal immigrants.

We would make giant strides toward solving the illegal immigration crisis if this information were forwarded to law enforcement for prosecution. If the sources of income for illegal immigrants were dried up we would not need to deport them, they would leave of their own accord. Perhaps after having enjoyed the opportunities of the US they may try to change the government back home to one that would vitalize the economy rather that loot it.

Basil's
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