'Havoc and destruction': Social Security quietly kills work program — and threatens chaos

According to investigative reporter Judd Legum, many individuals must now find their way to a Social Security field office — and the new policy hasn't yet been broadcast to the public.

Writing Thursday, Legum reported that Social Security quietly enacted a policy targeting immigrants who are granted work authorization issued by the Social Security administration.

"Each year, the SSA automatically issues millions of Social Security numbers and cards to non-citizens granted work authorizations as part of an agreement between the SSA and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)," wrote Legum on X. "The agreement is known as Enumeration Beyond Entry (EBE)."

ALSO READ: They've just signed Social Security's death warrant — are you ready?

On March 19, the SSA sent an email that Legum obtained stating that the EBE program for "noncitizens granted work authorization" and "newly naturalized U.S. citizens" had been "temporarily" frozen. Staff were told to implement this change in policy immediately. The email did not say when or whether the program would resume.

It means people who expect to be mailed Social Security numbers and a statement that they can legally work will now wait in vain. Applicants will now have to visit offices in person, with Legum estimating 60,000 to 75,000 extra people now flooding offices a week.

"The havoc and destruction they’re causing is no doubt going to break the agency and hurt the public," an SSA source told the reporter.

Legum also cited an internal SSA memo revealing that the field offices are already "overburdened."

It isn't the only policy that could add traffic to the offices.

The SSA announced this week that it will enforce heightened security measures.

"That policy will require people making new benefit claims to verify their ID through the internet or at a field office," Legum wrote.

If they cannot use a computer, they must verify their identity in person, Yahoo Finance confirmed.

An internal memo Legum obtained predicted the increase would be substantial and warns of "service disruption," "operational strain," and "budget shortfalls" as the policy goes into effect.

"Since the internet is not an option for many elderly or disabled people, the SSA estimates it will require an additional 75,000 to 85,000 in-person visitors per week to SSA's offices to implement the policy," Legum wrote.

Read the detailed report here.