Bill Summary
The "Consequences for Social Security Fraud Act" aims to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act by establishing that aliens who have been convicted of, or have admitted to committing social security fraud or fraud related to identification documents, will be considered inadmissible to the United States and subject to deportation.
Specifically, the bill adds provisions that classify offenses related to social security fraud, including those associated with COVID-19 relief funds, as grounds for barring entry and deporting individuals. This includes crimes under the Social Security Act and federal laws concerning identification fraud. The intent is to strengthen immigration laws by preventing those who engage in fraudulent activities from residing in or entering the country.
Possible Impacts
The "Consequences for Social Security Fraud Act" could have several impacts on individuals, particularly those in the immigrant community. Here are three examples:
1. **Increased Risk of Deportation for Immigrants**: Under this legislation, any alien (non-citizen) who is convicted of or admits to committing Social Security fraud or related identification document fraud could face deportation. This could disproportionately affect immigrants who may have made mistakes or been falsely accused of fraud, leading to significant legal and personal repercussions, including the loss of their right to reside in the U.S.
2. **Fear of Reporting Fraudulent Activity**: The act may create a chilling effect on individuals who might witness or know about fraudulent activities. For example, immigrants might be less likely to report social security fraud to authorities for fear that they could unintentionally become implicated or face scrutiny regarding their own immigration status. This could hinder efforts to combat fraud effectively.
3. **Impact on Legal Immigrants and Their Families**: Legal immigrants who might have committed minor infractions related to Social Security could find themselves facing severe penalties, including deportation. This could lead to family separations, especially if those affected are primary earners or caregivers within their households. The emotional and economic strain on families could be substantial, impacting their overall well-being and stability.
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 174 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 174
To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to provide that aliens who
have been convicted of or who have committed Social Security fraud are
inadmissible and deportable.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 3, 2025
Mr. McClintock (for himself, Mr. Wilson of South Carolina, Ms. Tenney,
Mrs. Wagner, Mr. Edwards, Mrs. Houchin, Mr. Hunt, and Mr. Crank)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
the Judiciary
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to provide that aliens who
have been convicted of or who have committed Social Security fraud are
inadmissible and deportable.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Consequences for Social Security
Fraud Act''.
SEC. 2. INADMISSIBILITY AND DEPORTABILITY RELATED TO SOCIAL SECURITY
FRAUD OR IDENTIFICATION DOCUMENT FRAUD.
(a) Inadmissibility.--Section 212(a)(2) of the Immigration and
Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1182(a)(2)) is amended by adding at the end
the following:
``(J) Social security fraud or identification
document fraud.--
``(i) In general.--Any alien who has been
convicted of, who admits having committed, or
who admits committing acts which constitute the
essential elements of a covered COVID offense,
an offense under section 208 of the Social
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 408) (relating to
social security account numbers or social
security cards), an offense under section 1028
of title 18, United States Code (relating to
fraud and related activity in connection with
identification documents, authentication
features, and information), or a conspiracy to
commit such an offense, is inadmissible.
``(ii) Covered covid offense.--For purposes
of this subparagraph, the term `covered COVID
offense' means an offense of fraud pertaining
to--
``(I) a loan made under--
``(aa) paragraph (36) or
(37) of subsection (a) of
section 7 of the Small Business
Act (15 U.S.C. 636); or
``(bb) subsection (b) of
such section in response to the
COVID-19 pandemic; or
``(II) a grant made under--
``(aa) section 5003 of the
American Rescue Plan Act of
2021 (15 U.S.C. 9009c); or
``(bb) section 324 of the
Economic Aid to Hard-Hit Small
Businesses, Nonprofits, and
Venues Act (15 U.S.C.
9009a).''.
(b) Deportability.--Section 237(a)(2) of the Immigration and
Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1227(a)(2)) is amended by adding at the end
the following:
``(G) Social security fraud or identification
document fraud.--Any alien who has been convicted of,
who admits having committed, or who admits committing
acts which constitute the essential elements of a
covered COVID offense (as such term is defined in
section 212(a)(2)(J)(ii)), an offense under section 208
of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 408) (relating to
social security account numbers or social security
cards), an offense under section 1028 of title 18,
United States Code (relating to fraud and related
activity in connection with identification documents,
authentication features, and information), or a
conspiracy to commit such an offense, is deportable.''.
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