Illegal Immigrants Meet Cyberspace

It’s obvious that we are a Nation of Immigrants. If your not a Native American Indian, then your in some way, shape or form an immigrant. That’s an easy and simple fact. The controversy regarding illegal immigrants is pretty interesting on several fronts, but there’s one angle that President Bush, the United States Senate and Congress, and business owners are not talking about. Identity theft.

In order for illegal immigrants to work here in the United States, they have to obtain a “social security” number. In all cases this is coming from the existing pool of numbers (both living and deceased). As I watched video of all those people marching through various cities, what I was thinking was, “look at all that identity theft.”

Americans have to understand, like it or not, your Social Security” number is actually the most important link of information that each of us have which helps to define us. Just think about how many services you use that have your Social Security number as a part of your profile. There’s a line that can be traced through cyberspace, from your banking to health insurance, to loans, to credit scoring agencies to governmental agencies, to even your cellular service in many cases.

Illegal immigrants are demanding “equal rights.” Illegal immigrants are demanding to be “let out of the shadows.” But what they don’t talk about or take personal responsibility for is the fact that they put themselves in the shadows by “illegally” gaining entry into The United States and then stealing someone’s identity in order to get that job that supposedly no America want to do. On that scale, I don’t care if you’re from Mexico, China, Ireland, India, Africa or anywhere else. Identity theft can be a devastating experience for legal citizens and lives can and have been ruined by this type of criminal activity. I saw a sign yesterday saying “we are not criminals… let us become legal citizens.” Actually if you steal someone else’s Social Security number and assume all or part of that person’s identity, you are a criminal. It’s called fraud and impersonation.

I have a few final thoughts to add a little perspective to the identity theft issue. It’s estimated that there are in the range of 11 to 20 million illegal immigrants. Cutting that number in half to play it conservative that’s 5.5 to 10 million stolen Social Security numbers. That’s just plain staggering.

If you want to become an American citizen, I say “fine.” My only request is please do it with out stealing legal American’s identity.

// Jaye Morris, Technologist