Workers for Contractors at Government Lab Used Dead People's SSNs

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By Terence Jeffrey (Archive) · Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Two employees of contractors working at the Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory used dead peoples' Social Security numbers, according to DOE's Office of Inspector General.

Four others used Social Security numbers the government has not yet issued, and two shared the same Social Security number.

The fact that workers for contractors at DOE's Berkeley lab were misusing Social Security numbers -- and thus, by definition, working under false identities -- was revealed in a report DOE's IG completed on April 15.

That means it came almost six years after the same IG's office revealed -- as reported in this column on June 23, 2005 -- that it had discovered that 16 illegal aliens had been working for contractors at DOE's Y-12 facility at Oak Ridge, Tenn.

"The mission of Y-12 includes the manufacture of nuclear weapons components; weapons dismantlement, storage, and evaluation; and, the warehousing of enriched uranium material," the IG had explained in a June 14, 2005, report.

"Specifically, we determined 16 foreign construction workers were illegal aliens," said the report. "Some of these workers acquired facility access badges and were permitted access to the main Y-12 site, and others were permitted access to an adjacent Y-12 leased facility. Certain information associated with the construction of the Y-12 leased facility, which was planned to store documents up to the Secret-Restricted Data level, was considered Unclassified Controlled Nuclear Information (UCNI) and Official Use Only (OUO). Consequently, these individuals may have had opportunities to inappropriately access this type of information."

"Also," said the report, "we learned that the Office of Counterintelligence was not aware of the presence of foreign construction workers at the Y-12 leased facility until notified by the Office of Inspector General (OIG) during this inspection."

As a result of the IG's discovery, Y-12 officials reportedly revamped their access policy.

"Y-12 officials issued a revised access policy entitled 'Citizenship Verification Requirements for Access to the Y-12 National Security Complex,'" said the IG's report. "The revised policy addressed the concerns we had raised to Y-12 officials during our review."

The IG then recommended Y-12's new access policy be "fully and consistently implemented" and DOE ensure that "other Department facilities include inspection steps specific to the issues discussed in this report."

That was under the Bush administration.

Five years later, the IG took another look at Y-12 -- this time to see how it was handling environmental cleanup projects funded by the economic stimulus law signed by President Barack Obama in February 2009.

In a December 2010 audit report, the IG revealed that Y-12 had waited until September 2010 to enforce a regulation under the stimulus law that required federal contractors by December 2009 to use the federal government's E-Verify system to certify the work eligibility of their employees. Y-12 also had not verified the proof-of-citizenship documents presented by workers.

"In particular, Y-12's badge issuance procedures include a requirement to provide acceptable proof of citizenship such as a passport or certified birth certificate," said the IG report. "However, Y-12 management acknowledged that it was not required to verify the validity of proof of citizenship as part of its badging process, and we confirmed that Y-12 does not verify the information with independent parties."

Unlike Y-12, DOE's Berkeley lab does not manufacture nuclear-weapons components. According to the IG, it "conducts unclassified research"

Still, the IG's April report said: "Because of potential security concerns associated with unauthorized workers, we initiated this inspection to determine whether contractors who were awarded contracts for infrastructure upgrades at Berkeley, including their subcontractors, verified the employment eligibility of their employees in accordance with Federal requirements prior to those employees accessing the site."

Berkeley's subcontractors, it turned out, had signed their contracts before September 2009, when a 2008 executive order signed by President Bush requiring federal contractors to use E-Verify went into effect.

"Also, instead of instituting the E-Verify requirement for contracts awarded on or after September 8, 2009, Berkeley selected February 1, 2010, as the E-Verify implementation date," said the IG report. "Thus, only contracts awarded on or after February 1, 2010, were required to participate in E-Verify."

"Had E-Verify been voluntarily used, Berkeley's contractors likely would have identified a number of other anomalies that we discovered during our testing," said the IG report. "For example, we identified eight Form I-9s containing duplicate Social Security numbers, the use of Social Security numbers that belonged to deceased individuals, or the use of Social Security numbers that had yet to be assigned."

The IG referred this "possible misuse" of Social Security numbers to the Social Security Administration, the Department of Homeland Security, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

It should surprise no one that a government that will not adequately enforce the immigration laws within its own Energy Department facilities will not adequately enforce them anywhere else.

Third-party content does not necessarily reflect the opinions of The Patriot Post.

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Daylo

Democrats and liberals alike would call the failed enforcement of E-verify in EVERY situation as "Getting out the Vote".

The liberal set is terrified of "offending" the illegal aliens in this country cause if they have a false SSN, they can vote Democrat. The answer is simple. See? Dead people really can volte.

Posted July 20, 2011 at 1:36:30 PM

JAC

I don't see anything wrong with this. After all, Obozo is using a social security number of a man from Connecticut who died in Hawaii.

Posted July 20, 2011 at 1:36:40 PM

Linda Brazier

Im so glad he is a 1 term preisdent ......he is a lawyer ....has never run a buisness he does not know what he is doing this is not a color issue ..its sure his stupity......down with Obama.......people wake up the democrats are killing this country of Gimmy Gimmy Gimmy , why would anyone want to depend on Government ....I love my Independence and my money ...Im sick and tired of My Taxes paying for welfare and healthcare and Illegals who steal jobs ......and Teachers who do not teach .....No to Public Unions and No to the Debt ceiling being Raised..and No to The Dream Act for any Illegals in this country fix our borders and ship illegals back to their Country...US Citizens should be standing by each other ...not fighting each other..what Obama is doing is Just wrong.....This is not a Black and white thing...this is an American Thing!!!!!!!!

Posted July 20, 2011 at 8:22:00 PM

sylvia

they don't look like mexicans so how do these middle easterners do this?

Posted July 20, 2011 at 8:26:37 PM

Jinnee

The government is the problem. They don't care that SS is being paid out illegally as long as "someone" keep paying into it. Plain and simple. They report all the garbage to take the focus off who is at fault.

Posted July 20, 2011 at 8:31:49 PM

Jinnee

"Please keep comments civil and brief. Obscene, profane, abusive and off-topic comments will be deleted. Repeat offenders will be blocked."

The above statement is part of the problem. They are deciding for me whether or not my statement is obscene, profane, abusive & off topic. My free speech is being usurped.

Posted July 20, 2011 at 8:39:59 PM

Editor's Reply:
Cry us a river.

Luj

I have seen illegals working with SS#s and birth certificates that would never match. "Clean" birth certificates/SS#s (and the most expensive) were coming out of the stolen identities of Puerto Rican citizens....enough IDs were stolen that Puerto Rico ordered everyone to surrender their birth certificates to authorities to help prevent ID theft. Faux SS#, birth certificates, ID is nothing compared to the innumerable illegals working with W-4's that claim 'married with 9 dependants' which equals out to no/low taxes deducted. Many illegals have 'anchor babies' which makes the anchor babies legal citizens thus they can collect WIC (Womens Infants and Children) benefits, welfare benefits, food stamps and a myriad of other benefits.....claiming the father as 'unknown' or giving a false name, dad is really living at home, working a job so mom is collecting welfare/food stamps/WIC (medicaid too) when dad is perfectly capable of paying their way-=why should they when they have learned to game the system so well?? MILLIONS of illegals in this country over 50% of them doing this meanwhile sending BILLIONS to Mexico and Central American countries via Western Union.

Posted July 20, 2011 at 8:49:23 PM

Jinnee

This is the Patriot Post . . . Let the FREE SPEECH fly! People should be respectful. If this is the "VOICE OF ESSENTIAL LIBERTY", then so be it! It's okay to ask for respectful comments but if you don't get it, edit the bad words but let their message be heard.. . whether it's on topic or off. We are big boys and girls out here and we will decide for ourselves to ignore it or reply.

Posted July 20, 2011 at 8:49:31 PM

Tony

This is why each state needs to check on ALL citizens and throw out any and all who don't have proper ID. After this incident (they could be working for Iran), I don't want to hear ONE more piece of garbage from Pres. Moron. Why doesn't he just surrender to the Arabs and give them everything? He bows to them. We need Patton back. He's set them straight. If the government won't act, I will. My solution is NOT diplomatic.

Posted July 20, 2011 at 8:51:34 PM

BJ Nelson

Gosh. I feel so safe, don't you!?

Posted July 20, 2011 at 9:30:23 PM

WaResD

but these where low paying jobs that Americans didn't want to do...

Posted July 20, 2011 at 9:45:10 PM

Saka1216

Hey the Illegals had my son in laws SS number for a while. So I know it's true among everything else written. It's all illgals from everywhere,not a race issue.Just tired of their crooked ways that's all.So to get food stamps how many and who's children are they adding to the house hold? Why do they get cash back also? Am sick of all of it. So let's vote well in 2012? Maybe " Obummer " will vacation in Mexico instead of Denmark where the ways seems to please him.

Posted July 20, 2011 at 10:05:38 PM

DocRod

So now someone finally takes the time to check the references of individuals who are responsible for the nuclear materials in this country. Hmmm... now I honestly detest Obama and his incompetent syndicate that he has built in Washington; but I have a deep concern as to which incompetent administration has placed these people in these positions in the first place. This is really nuclear material capable of spreading insidious destruction, and I'm really terrified for the future of my children and grandchildren because we have no idea who is actually running this country any longer. I'm just gritting my teeth and waiting for the other shoe to fall because this time may spell the end to our democracy as we had invisioned it to be.

Posted July 20, 2011 at 10:19:01 PM

Critical Thinker

Before I form an opinion about this please show me, cite, your references. Otherwise this should just be passed off as an Editorial piece, or, more accurately, an OPINION piece. Especially considering the fact that you are in no way associated/employee of ANY legit news/journalism company.

Posted July 21, 2011 at 4:15:57 AM

MLHARRISFL

I suppose this is an example of illegals taking jobs that Americans would not take.

Posted July 21, 2011 at 5:46:21 AM

Trent

@Critical "Thinker"

Do you have some sort of 6th grade education? Sources were cited all over the place. Either READ the article, or finish your education.

Posted July 21, 2011 at 8:58:44 AM

pete

Now I have an idea of why my SS disability was stopped.

SS told me as I sat in front of her in my wheelchair that I was working in KS as lineman for a cable company.

After I lost my house and car, they graciously offered to "assist" me in finding a used car and "suitable housing."

I worked my whole life to be free of government "assistance," and I've seen their idea of "suitable housing."

Thanks, but no thanks. Give me the money you owe me, plus what I "earned" in KS, and get the hell away from me. I'll take care of myself.

Posted July 21, 2011 at 4:08:26 PM

jeanw

everyone should be checkedd to see if they leagal n check the ss # they give it may belong to a dead person, this plant needs to have stricter policiys and get tighter with their security, joe go check this plant out and get all the illegals out of this plant, lock all illegals up then put them in the tent city and deport them asap, joe you are the man that has the guts to check on these kind of things and to get the illegals out of our country, go joe, america loves you !!!!!!!!

Posted July 24, 2011 at 2:22:04 AM

Dave

We need to change our thinking when it comes to Mexicans and Mexico! All we need to do is to welcome these fine folks with open arms...then send the Bill for them to the great Mexican Government! Make them Responsible for their own people! That's what They would do if the tables were turned! It's That easy Mr. President! And I would vote for Obama and campaign for him if he were brave enough to make it happen. Imagine, our government grows a pair and does something for "We The People" for a change... Viva Mexico!!!

Posted July 24, 2011 at 8:23:46 AM

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