Time to protect American children from illegal alien identity theft
By Ronald Mortensen
Guest commentary
Last updated
Friday, February 25, 2011 - 11:46pm

Illegal alien driven, employment-related identity theft is destroying the good names and futures of literally millions of innocent American children, while current federal identity theft law and the IRS and Social Security Administration sit on the sidelines as the number of victims continues to grow.

According to the Social Security Administration, an estimated 75 percent of illegal aliens use fraudulently obtained Social Security numbers to pay payroll taxes. In Utah, employment related identity theft accounts for 16 percent of all reported identity theft according to the Federal Trade Commission.

Based on investigations conducted by Workforce Services and the Utah Attorney General's office, it is estimated that 50,000 Utah children have their identities being used primarily by illegal aliens to get jobs. In 2006, 1,626 employers were found to be paying wages to the Social Security numbers of Utah children under age 13. Identity Theft 911 estimates that over one million Arizona children have had their identities stolen.

Innocent children and their families are devastated by these crimes. For example, one Utah child, nine-year-old Grace Weed, has had her Social Security number used by 10 people to get jobs. Her mother frequently receives calls informing her that someone is using Grace's number to get medical services.

When this occurs, Grace's medical records risk being corrupted with life-threatening consequences. Grace's credit will be destroyed. She will have arrest records attached to her Social Security number, be denied student financial assistance and internships, lose out on jobs and will constantly have to prove her own identity.

Although the Social Security Administration knows that multiple people are using Grace's Social Security number, it will not issue Grace a new number and it has done nothing to stop the improper use.

When those who have stolen little Grace's identity pay Social Security taxes and file income tax returns using her Social Security number, the IRS simply accepts the payments and like the Social Security Administration, does nothing to help Grace.

Under current federal identity theft law, illegal aliens using Grace's Social Security number just have to say that they didn't know the number was Grace's and they are let off. Fraudulent document dealers know this and they coach the users of phony documents on how to avoid federal identity theft charges. Criminals then know that they have nothing to fear from either of the agencies responsible regardless of the fact that Social Security fraud carries a penalty of five to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

I, along with millions of other Americans, are tired of seeing Grace and millions of other American children sacrificed to illegal alien-driven identity theft. We are tired of criminals flaunting the federal identity theft law and we are tired of the Social Security Administration and IRS refusing to punish or help those who are victimized.

After learning of these abuses in the system, the citizenry, including myself took action and began working and speaking with federal officials to get federal legislation introduced that puts teeth in the federal identity theft law and requires the IRS to stand up for innocent children.

The efforts of those people is embodied in Strengthening Our Commitment to Legal Immigration and America's Security Act which was introduced last year and again this year by Sen. Orrin Hatch. Among other things, the bill will amend the federal identity theft law by making the use of another person's identifying information a crime, whether done knowingly or unknowingly. It also requires the IRS to investigate the fraudulent use of Social Security numbers, to notify the victims and to refer those using fraudulently obtained numbers to the government and law enforcement.

I appeciate Senator Hatch's willingness to listen to his constituents on this issue and this common-sense solution. Once this legislation passes, anyone criminally using another person's Social Security number, will not be able to escape punishment for their crimes and millions of American children, including Grace, will have justice.

Ronald Mortensen, Ph.D. is the senior political advisor for the Davis County 9/12 Project and a retired Foreign Service Officer.

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