Descriptions of Some Members of the Sample Who Were Not Able to Prove Eligibility

IMMIGRANTS & PUBLIC BENEFITS
E-Mail Benefits Update 98-13: Social Security Administration Nonqualified Noncitizen
Study Findings*

*Source: Social Security Administration

DESCRIPTIONS OF SOME MEMBERS OF THE SAMPLE WHO WERE NOT ABLE TO PROVE ELIGIBILITY

The recipient is a 93 year-old man who was born in Italy and apparently came to the U.S. in 1907. Since 4/98 he has lived in a residence for deaf individuals on the campus of a large private multiple purpose facility. He assumes that he is an alien living legally in the U.S. but has no proof. He has had no contact with DOJ or INS since 1942. He has received SSI for the past 12 years. He cannot speak.

This 80 year-old woman emigrated with her family from Canada to the U.S. in 1923. She obtained her social security number in 1938 and worked for nearly 50 years. Her father acquired citizenship through naturalization in 1943. She always thought she was also a citizen until she applied for SSI in 1984. She began writing INS to determine her status that same year but learned nothing. She renewed her efforts in 1995 with the INS office in San Francisco and pursued her inquiries through 1996 and 1997. Her last contact with INS was March 1998 when she completed a form they requested and remitted $95 to them. She has no known assigned "A" number nor any known status of any type. She lives in the Sierra Nevada Mountains 200 miles from the closest INS office.

This 50 year-old female has been in the U.S. since before 1/1/92. She is in a nursing home. Her legal guardian (public administrator) has been unable to secure legal immigration status. They have investigated for 2 years without any results. They have exhausted every lead. Recently an Operations Supervisor from a local SSA field office was doing an internship with the Public Administrator’s Office and she also tried to secure legal alien status and was unsuccessful in her investigation.

This 77 year-old woman has been granted voluntary departure status. She has received SSI for 4 years. She came from Liberia in 5/86, speaks limited English and has no other income.

This 60 year-old man came to the U.S. in 6/83 from Kampuchea and has legal temporary resident status. He has received SSI for 4 years because of chronic pulmonary insufficiency. He has no other income.

This 71 year-old woman alleges citizenship based on her father’s naturalization. She has been in the U.S. since 1929, when she was 2. She has been receiving SSI since November 1989.

This 68 year-old woman entered the U.S. prior to 1/1/72. She lives alone in a rented apartment. She has been receiving SSI since April 1996. She was 8 when she came to the U.S. with her father and he applied for citizenship for her. She has no documentation.

This 93 year-old woman entered the U.S. prior to 1/1/72. She has been receiving SSI since June 1988. She claims to be a qualified alien but has no proof.

This 36 year-old male with deferred action status has received SSI for 3 years. His disability diagnosis is chronic renal failure. He is on dialysis. He receives no other income. His mother/payee has threatened his murder and her suicide in past Agency contacts about nonqualified alien status. He came to the U.S. from Armenia in 11/89. They speak no English, only Armenian.

This 55 year-old female entered U.S. before 1/1/72 and is disabled. She alleges U.S. citizenship because her mother was naturalized when she was 15 and she thought that made her a citizen also. She has received SSI payments for the past 6 years. She has no other income.

This 78 year-old female entered the U.S. prior to 1/1/72 and has received SSI for 10 years. She is a patient at a convalescent hospital and never leaves her room. She speaks no English, only Spanish. She has limited comprehension, and was confused and unaware that her SSI may stop.