On Monday, the Smart Card Alliance released a White Paper that outlines the benefits of upgrading Social Security cards to include a biometric identifier.

An upgraded Social Security card will enhance immigration reform in three ways.  It can (1) provide better privacy for consumers, (2) accurately authenticate people by connecting the physical person to the card, their name, and Social Security number, and (3) accommodate a large population.

Regarding privacy, an upgraded card will enhance privacy because a person’s information is stored in the card, not on the card.  This seemingly small change will prevent people from stealing your identity by merely looking at the front of your card.  Moreover, by having your personal information in the card rather than on the face of the card, you will not need to share your personal information with others in order to authenticate yourself.

The upgraded Social Security card also accurately authenticates personal information without ever having to share it.  Under the current system, you must provide your employer with your name and Social Security number to verify that you are legally allowed to work in the United States.  In doing so, you rely on them to protect your confidential information and have no real control over what happens to your information after you share it with them.  With an upgraded Social Security card, the card reader would first authenticate your card is a real card issued by the Social Security Administration.  Next, the reader would verify that your biometric stored on the card matches what you, the physical person, present to the machine.  At the end of the verification process, your employer gets a confirmation of your work eligibility. However, your potential employer will not have access to your personal information and, as a result, they have no duty to store it securely. 

Finally, an upgraded card can be easily distributed to citizens and legal residents of the United States. Obtaining a card could be done through local Post Offices operated by the United States Postal Service- an agency that reaches all the corners of our country.

An upgraded biometric Social Security card is a simple, accurate, and real solution to solve one aspect of Immigration Reform. It will increase privacy, reduce the risk of  fraud and identity theft, and give us Social Security cards that meet the standards of the 9/11 Commission. To read the Smart Card Alliance White Paper, please click here.