Conservative lawmakers are calling for a redesigned Social Security card to help U.S. employers avoid hiring illegal immigrants who use counterfeit documents.
But the Social Security Administration opposes the idea of a tamper-resistant card, saying Social Security cards never were intended to serve as identification."At the time the Social Security card was initially developed in the 1930s, its only purpose was to provide a record of the number that had been assigned to the individual so that the employer could accurately report Social Security earnings," Associate Commissioner for Policy and Planning Sandy Crank told a House subcommittee Tuesday.
Crank also said last year's welfare law required his agency to come up with a prototype of a new card that is more durable, includes such security features as a magnetic stripe and provides reliable proof of citizenship or legal immigrant status.
"It would be premature to determine the physical design and security features of the card while extensive study of these issues, mandated by Congress, is taking place," he said.
Rep. Bill McCollum, R-Fla., said eliminating Social Security document fraud is a vital step in controlling U.S. borders and fighting illegal immigration.
"It is simply unacceptable that one document that is most commonly used to prove eligibility for employment is nothing more than a flimsy paper document that is easily counterfeited," McCollum told the House Judiciary Committee's immigration subcommittee.
He assured lawmakers that the improved card wouldn't be used as a national identification card - an idea that has been denounced by those concerned with privacy and the amount of personal information compiled on government computers.
"There are no fingerprints, retina scans or magnetic strips involved," he said. "In fact (the bill) specifies that new cards cannot be required to be carried upon one's person and does not authorize the establishment of any new databases. By making the card more tamper-resistant, the government gains no new information and the card would be used no differently that it is now."