The Trump administration has officially rejected the request of a federal judge to make the acting SSA commissioner, Leland Dudek, appear in court. The federal judge is hearing on whether or not the court should issue an injunction stopping the agency from DOGE access to the personally identifiable information of the people of America. The refusal came as the agency added another 6000 people in the death master file, cancelling their social security number, and forcing them to self-deport. This article brings you everything you need to know about the “death master file” controversy and the latest updates on it.
What Exactly Is The “Death Master File,” And Why Is It The Center Of The Arguments In Court?
The death master file is basically a special record that keeps track of individuals who have passed away and are no longer entitled to receive benefits. However, the death master file became the center of the arguments in court because the administration recently added migrants to the list who are living in the US illegally. Leland Dudek, in one of his emails to the staff, reportedly wrote about the repurposing of the death master file that will have their financial lives terminated.
What Did The Attorneys Of The Justice Department Say On Monday?
According to the reports, the Attorneys Of the Justice Department informed U.S. District Judge Ellen Hollander of Maryland that they will “rest their opposition to Plaintiffs’ motion for a preliminary injunction on the information contained in briefing, stated at oral argument, and in the administrative record produced by the Social Security Administration instead of allowing Leland Dudek to testify.
Ellen Hollander stated exactly why she wanted Dudek to appear in the hearing earlier on Monday. According to the reports, she stated in a letter to the counsel, Dudek, on a phone call hearing on March 27, stated that DOGE is working on a project that involves the death master file. However, the Administrative record does not correspond to what the news described. Dudek’s appearance would have been helpful regarding the various projects that he has referenced. Therefore, Dudek’s appearance was required to clarify the information provided.
Who Filed The Lawsuit In The Courts Regarding This Matter?
The labor organisation, along with the grassroots advocacy groups, filed the lawsuit in the court of law against DOGE and the Trump administration, gaining unfettered access to the Social Security data. The lawsuit claimed the access was a breach of privacy. Judge Hollander previously warned DOGE as well as the government over the assertion that access to the SSA confidential data is necessary. She mentioned how the Elon Musk-led organization seemed like it was on a fishing expedition, making good on the baseless claims or widespread fraud coming from the administration.
What Did Tiffany Flick Say About The Impact Of Adding A Living Person’s Name Into The “Death Master File”?
Tiffany Flick, who is the former acting chief of staff to Dudek, explained in detail what happens when a living person is added to the list of the dead. She confirmed that the claims of widespread fraud in the agency are false. Flick explained how only one-third of the 1% of around 2.9 million deaths recorded per year actually required corrections. She also stated how repurposing the death master file is an effort of fulfilling Trump’s promise to crack down on immigrants was unprecedented.
Flick also mentioned the severe consequences of adding a living person to the dead list. She stated that it will have the person’s loans terminated, bank accounts closed, medical coverage ended, and life insurance canceled. They will not be able to get a job or file tax returns. The former acting chief of staff to Dudek also explained how they won’t be able to claim basic federal benefits either.
What Did The Democratic Representatives Say About The Issue?
Richard Neal and John Larson, Democratic representatives from Massachusetts and Connecticut, respectively, made a joint statement about the matter. They claimed that the migrants who have their Social Security numbers have been cancelled are not being afforded due process. The statement also questioned what’s next if they can even cancel the Social Security numbers. The two called the use of SSA as a weapon shocking and unconscionable. They urged the people who care about Social Security to raise their voices and even called the Musk-Trump duo a threat to people and the benefits they earn.
