March 22, 2021
U.S. Reps. Jim Costa of California and Raul Grijalva of Arizona are among a dozen Democrats in the House of Representatives calling on President Joe Biden to to end the Employer Correction Request Notices, also known as the “no-match letter” program.
Under a program discontinued in 2012 but revived under then-President Donald Trump in 2019, the Social Security Administration has tens of thousands of employers that the names of some of their employees do not match their Social Security numbers, the New York Times reported.
The letters have sent shock waves through the agriculture, hospitality and construction industries, which rely heavily on undocumented workers, the Times noted.
In a March 17 letter to Biden, the lawmakers asserted the program has increased discrimination against immigrant workers, including those with a valid Social Security number and has caused undue hardships for businesses, farmers, health care providers, and employees alike.
"Experience has proven that the No-Match Letter program does not effectively serve its purpose and causes harmful impacts on the Social Security Administration, American workers and small businesses – serious consequences which outweigh any benefits derived from them," the members wrote.
The legislators asked SSA Administrator Andrew Saul for details on the scope of the Trump-era operation, actions taken to prevent unnecessary employee terminations resulting from these letters, and a commitment to cease issuing further ones.
Other Western lawmakers to sign on to the letter included California's Reps. Grace Napolitano, Juan Vargas, Tony Cardenas and Judy Chu, and Washington's Rep. Pramila Jayapal.
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