grok rates that tweet as not quite correct as pertains to FACTS. namely in the "illegal" word
however, key clarifications show the claim misrepresents reality:
These SSNs were issued to noncitizens with legal work authorization, not to "illegals" (undocumented immigrants without lawful status). U.S. law prohibits issuing SSNs to those present illegally without work authorization. Eligible recipients include immigrants with green cards, temporary work visas, humanitarian parole, asylum seekers granted work permits (via USCIS approval), refugees, and others lawfully present and authorized to work. The EBE program (started in 2017 under the first Trump administration) streamlines this for DHS-verified cases.
The sharp increase aligns with higher levels of legal immigration and work authorizations during the Biden years, including expanded humanitarian parole programs (e.g., for certain nationalities) and backlog processing for asylum claims, which can lead to temporary work permits while cases are pending. Experts note this rise was predictable given immigration trends.
The "doubled every year" description is approximate but roughly fits the progression (roughly doubling from 2021 to 2022, then ~1.6× to 2023, then ~2.2× to 2024). The figures are not exactly doubling but show significant year-over-year growth.
Undocumented immigrants (those without any lawful status or work authorization) cannot legally obtain SSNs through this or standard processes. Some may use fraudulent or stolen SSNs to work informally, but that's illegal and separate from these official issuances. Claims tying these numbers directly to fraud, voter fraud, or benefits for "illegals" have been disputed or labeled misleading in various reports.
In summary: The raw numbers cited match data shared in Fox News coverage (based on SSA EBE figures presented by Musk/DOGE), but the attribution to "illegals" is false—they went to legally authorized noncitizens. The increase reflects policy and migration patterns, not a program handing out SSNs to undocumented people.