The Trump administration has backpedalled on new parents having to complete Enumeration at Birth at Social Security facilities in Maine. The change to registration at agency offices in Maine was leaked, attracting some criticism and causing the government to back step.
For decades, parents have registered their babies for Social Security numbers in hospitals, the norm since the 1980s. 99% of children were reportedly registered by filling out the form in hospitals, enabling health insurance forms and child benefits.
The process was reinstated on Friday after reaching health care providers who disapproved of ‘cumbersome’ changes to make parents visit one of the state’s 8 Social Security offices and extending waiting times.
Although voluntary, Enumeration at Birth was chosen by the majority of parents to obtain a Social Security number. The notice from the Maine Department of Health and Human Services stated that the option for parents would be “suspended” but this was quickly retracted.
The abrupt changes have not been explained, which would have also affected funeral directors completing paperwork for Social Security. Lifetime identity documents from birth to death certificates were never impacted except for fast-track requests for a Social Security number and card.
Acting Social Security Administration Commissioner Lee Dudek issued an apology, stating, “I recently directed Social Security employees to end two contracts which affected the good people of the state of Maine”.
The cuts could have been related to the fact that holding a Social Security number from birth entitles automatic rights to citizenship, which Trump said at the start of his administration he wants to scrap and recently engaged in a debate over cutting education funding in Maine.
