What Elon Musk claimed about Social Security and noncitizens

In November 2024, Elon Musk posted on X (formerly Twitter) that millions of noncitizens had been issued Social Security numbers. He did not provide evidence for the claim, and the Social Security Administration has not confirmed it. Musk made the statement while discussing government spending and immigration policy, not in response to a specific report or investigation.

The claim circulated widely on social media but remains unverified. No government agency has released data showing how many noncitizens hold Social Security numbers, whether the number is rising, or how it happened. The Social Security Administration's public statements do not address Musk's specific figure.

Understanding what is actually known about Social Security numbers, who can receive them, and how the system works helps separate verified information from claims without supporting evidence.

Key Takeaways

  • Elon Musk claimed millions of noncitizens have Social Security numbers, but provided no evidence and the Social Security Administration has not confirmed the claim.
  • The Social Security Administration issues numbers to people with work authorization, including some noncitizens, as part of normal employment verification.
  • Noncitizens who are authorized to work in the United States can receive Social Security numbers through the standard process process.
  • No government agency has published data showing the total number of noncitizens holding Social Security numbers or whether that number is increasing.

Who can get a Social Security number

The Social Security Administration issues numbers to U.S. citizens and to noncitizens who have work authorization. Work authorization means the federal government has approved someone to be employed in the United States. This includes people on certain visa types, people with pending asylum cases, and people with temporary protected status.

To receive a Social Security number, a person must explore in person at a Social Security office and provide documents proving identity, age, and work authorization status. A noncitizen typically submits their visa, employment authorization document, or other proof that they are legally permitted to work. The Social Security Administration does not issue numbers to people without work authorization.

The fact that noncitizens with work authorization can receive Social Security numbers is not secret policy — it is published on the Social Security Administration's website and has been standard practice for decades. Employers are required to verify that employees have work authorization before hiring them, and a Social Security number is part of that verification.

What evidence exists about the actual number

The Social Security Administration does not publish statistics on how many noncitizens hold Social Security numbers. The agency does not track citizenship status of number holders in its public reports. This means there is no official government count to compare against Musk's claim.

Researchers and government auditors have occasionally studied subsets of this question. In 2022, the Office of Inspector General for the Social Security Administration reviewed cases where people without work authorization had received numbers, but the report did not estimate how many noncitizens overall hold numbers or whether the problem was growing. That report focused on cases where the system failed, not on the routine issuance of numbers to authorized workers.

Without published data from the Social Security Administration, any claim about the total number of noncitizens holding Social Security numbers — whether millions or another figure — cannot be verified against official records.

How Social Security numbers are verified for employment

When someone is hired, the employer must verify their work authorization using the E-Verify system or by examining documents in person. E-Verify is an online tool run by the Department of Homeland Security and the Social Security Administration together. It checks whether a Social Security number matches the person's name and citizenship or work authorization status in government databases.

If E-Verify finds a mismatch, the employer must give the worker a chance to correct it. If the discrepancy is not resolved within a set time, the employer cannot legally keep the person employed. This system is meant to catch cases where someone is using a number they should not have or where records do not match.

E-Verify is not mandatory for all employers, though some states require it and some industries use it more than others. This means not every hire goes through the verification system, which is a separate question from whether noncitizens are being issued numbers in the first place.

The difference between issuing numbers and verifying work authorization

Musk's claim conflates two different things: whether noncitizens receive Social Security numbers, and whether the system properly verifies that those people are authorized to work. These are related but separate questions.

Noncitizens with valid work authorization receiving Social Security numbers is the expected outcome of the system working as designed. A noncitizen on an H-1B visa, for example, is legally authorized to work and should be able to get a number. The question Musk raised — whether millions of noncitizens have numbers — does not distinguish between authorized and unauthorized workers.

If the concern is that people without work authorization are obtaining numbers, that would be a system failure worth investigating. But that is different from saying noncitizens should not have numbers at all, since many noncitizens are legally permitted to work and need numbers to do so.

What government agencies have said about this claim

The Social Security Administration has not issued a statement confirming or denying Musk's specific claim about millions of noncitizens. The agency has acknowledged in past audits that some people without work authorization have received numbers, but has not released data on the scale of the problem or whether it is growing.

The Department of Homeland Security, which oversees immigration enforcement, has not released data supporting Musk's claim either. Neither agency has announced an investigation into the matter in response to his statement.

When government agencies do release data on immigration or Social Security, they typically publish it through official reports, press releases, or congressional testimony. The absence of such a report on this specific claim is notable.

How to verify claims about government data

When you encounter a claim about how many people have something, how much money was spent, or how a government program works, you can check several sources. The Social Security Administration publishes an annual report called the "Social Security Administration's Annual Report" that includes statistics on numbers issued and beneficiaries. The Government Accountability Office publishes audits of Social Security and immigration programs. Congressional Research Service reports are available to the public through Congress's website.

If a claim about government data is true and significant, it usually appears in one of these official sources, in news reporting that cites those sources, or in congressional testimony. A claim that exists only on social media without supporting evidence or official acknowledgment is worth treating with caution.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can someone without work authorization get a Social Security number?

The Social Security Administration's rules require work authorization to receive a number. However, audits have found cases where people without authorization obtained numbers, usually through document fraud or system errors. This is considered a failure of the verification process, not the intended operation of the system.

Is it illegal for a noncitizen to have a Social Security number?

No. Noncitizens with valid work authorization are supposed to have Social Security numbers. It is illegal for someone without work authorization to obtain one through fraud, but having a number itself is not illegal if the person was authorized to receive it.

How would I know if someone is using my Social Security number without permission?

You can check your Social Security statement online through ssa.gov, which shows your earnings record. If you see earnings you did not make, contact the Social Security Administration. You can also place a fraud alert with the three major credit bureaus and monitor your credit report for unauthorized accounts.

Does E-Verify catch all cases where someone is working without authorization?

No. E-Verify only works if an employer uses it, and it is not mandatory for all employers. Even when used, it relies on databases being accurate and up to date. Some employers do not use it, and some people may slip through the system.

Where can I find official statistics on Social Security numbers issued to noncitizens?

The Social Security Administration does not publish a breakdown of numbers by citizenship status. You can find general Social Security statistics on ssa.gov. For information about work authorization and immigration, the Department of Homeland Security publishes annual reports on immigration enforcement and visa issuance.