Biometrics IDs for US Social Security likely

United States, 7th February: The US could soon include biometrics in the social security card.

At least, this is what many US Senators are pushing for.

US immigration reform may push for biometrics ID cards—US Social Security cards are going to have a fingerprint soon if the US immigration reform gets a clearance. This simply means that the requirement of biometrics information will become compulsory for verifying the employment status.

The plan by US Senators Chuck Schumer(Democrat-N.Y.) and John McCain(R-Arizona) is in favor of having a a super US Social Security card having some type of biometric information like a fingerprint. This could be a photo, an iris scan or a fingerprint. Such biometrics will help in providing a verifiable check on the Social Security number.

A change in US Social Security card is in the offing soon following widespread criticism. So, biometrics are likely to figure in the social security card.

Aim of including biometrics in social security card—Weeding out undocumented immigrants will be the top priority of the plan to include US social security card containing biometrics, affirmed both the Senators.

How? Such a social security card will make it simpler for employers to check the legal immigration status of their prospective employees and the Social Security card will be difficult to forge with. So, the aim will be to ensure that employers are not recruiting undocumented immigrant workers, stated Schumer.

Non-forgeable Social Security card-- The best thing would be that it will be a non-forgeable document for all workers that can’t be faked. Presently, one can simply get his or her driver’s license or Social Security card for just $100 that’s fake, said Schumer. Social Security numbers can not only be obtained unlawfully but also used through an identity theft.

Moreover, the card will not be meant to be used as a general ID(identification). Rather, it will be just for work purposes, affirmed Schumer.

Meanwhile, there are still many hurdles to be cleared before this plan becomes a reality. US President Barack Obama has also called for having a tamper-resistant, fraud-resistant Social Security card as well as other new ways for authenticating identity in his outlines for US immigration reform.