Press Releases

Congressman Earl L. "Buddy" Carter (R-Ga.) introduced legislation today to prevent fraudulent use of Social Security numbers by illegal immigrants. 

During an audit of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the Treasury Department's Inspector General found that over 1.4 million illegal immigrants could be working and operating fraudulently under the Social Security numbers of legal citizens. However, the IRS has refused to take action claiming they can't tell the difference between fraud or a mismatch due to an automated system. 

Carter's legislation, the Tax Identity Protection Act, requires the IRS to address how they can better identify illegal immigrants who are fraudulently using the information of legal citizens to work in the United States.  

"The fact that the IRS knows illegal immigrants are using American's Social Security numbers but refuses to do anything about it is egregious and intolerable," said Carter. "Once I learned of this situation I contacted the IRS and was told they weren't even in the position to notify victims that their Social Security number was being used fraudulently and blamed it on a computer system. This is completely unbelievable. The American people deserve trust and accountability in the federal government. The IRS must take steps immediately to notify citizens if their personal information has been stolen and end this unacceptable situation."

The Tax Identity Protection Act would require the IRS to produce a report to Congress that states how they can better identify illegal immigrants who are operating in the U.S. under the Social Security number of a legal citizen.

Original cosponsors include Representatives Joe Barton (Tx.-06), Scott DesJarlais (Tn.-04) , Bill Flores (Tx.-17), Matt Gaetz (Fl.-01), Jody Hice (Ga.-10), Doug LaMalfa (Ca.-01), Paul Mitchell (Mi.-10), Scott Perry (Pa.-04), Todd Rokita (In.-04), and Joe Wilson (SC-02).