In a low blow, DOGE and US President Donald Trump's immigration department have made the US Social Security Administration (SSA) falsely mark over 6,000 living immigrants as deceased.

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The move, which has prompted legal action and internal clashes, was reportedly part of a broader effort under the Trump administration to push undocumented migrants out of the country, as per a report by The Washington Post.

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According to internal sources and documents seen by The Washington Post, the decision led to the forced removal of Greg Pearre, a senior executive at the SSA’s Maryland headquarters. Pearre had strongly opposed the plan, warning it was illegal, inhumane, and likely to affect innocent people. He had argued with Scott Coulter, the recently appointed chief information officer by Elon Musk, who backed the strategy.

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Two days after the migrants were added to the Death Master File, a government record used by employers, banks and landlords, Pearre was dragged out of his office by security. The document includes names and Social Security numbers of deceased individuals, and being added to it effectively blocks a person from working or accessing key services.

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Experts warn the move is illegal

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Legal and immigration experts have raised alarm over the legality of this action. Labelling someone as dead strips them of the privacy and rights afforded to living individuals. Experts say this also amounts to falsifying federal records.

“Social Security itself has acknowledged that an incorrect death declaration is a ‘devastating’ blow,” the report said. Individuals wrongly declared dead are suddenly cut off from work, benefits, and access to essential services.

“You literally become financially paralysed,” one expert noted.

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The White House defended the action, with Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt saying, “The Trump Administration is protecting lawful American citizens and their hard-earned Social Security benefits, and ensuring illegal immigrants will no longer receive such economic entitlements.” She added, “Anyone who disagrees with the common sense policies of this Administration can find a new job.”

Warnings were ignored

Concerns within the SSA were raised in February when staff discovered that anyone with access to the database could mark someone as dead without needing a death certificate or medical proof. They warned this flaw left the system open to abuse and feared it could be used to target certain groups.

Despite internal discussions about requiring proof before marking someone deceased, no changes were made.

Soon after, 6,100 names, mostly Hispanic individuals, ranging in age from teenagers to people in their 80s, were added to the database. Among those affected were people with valid Social Security numbers who had lost legal status due to changes in immigration policy.

A White House official later claimed these individuals had ties to terrorism or criminal records.

Unions and advocacy groups have responded with legal action. In a court filing on Friday, they accused the SSA of violating a temporary restraining order. The order barred Elon Musk’s DOGE Service from using any system that included personally identifiable information.

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(With inputs from agencies)