A popular charge from detractors of the Lifeline cell phone service is that illegal aliens can obtain a free phone. Is this true? The short answer is yes.
There is no citizenship verification in the application process for obtaining a cell phone from any of the vendors like Safelink, Assurance or ReachOut. There is no mandate from the government that they must do such verification.
According to a 2007 report by the Center for Immigration Studies, 33% of immigrant-headed households use at least one major welfare program. And being on a just about any public assistance program such as food stamp, National School Lunch Program and others will automatically qualify you for a Lifeline phone.
Not only is there no verification of citizenship, but there is no verification of actual participation of being on any of the of the government assistance programs. All one does is check off on the application form (and they come in Spanish as well) which public assistance program the applicant is on. and swear under penalty of perjury that their statement is truthful, and they qualify. Considering the individual may already have broken immigration laws, they may not have a problem signing the signing the form.
Social Security numbers are not required on the form.
An applicant can also qualify for the free cell phone by showing low income — if you have an income below 135-150% of the federal poverty guidelines<. All one has to do is show some documentation that proves employment, like pay stubs for example. Illegal aliens who work have pay stubs. There are millions of honest, hardworking American citizens who need this service, and we are most definitely not in favor of letting illegal immigrants get the free cell phones. As an attempt to show just how easy the loopholes are to get around, we produced The Undocumented Immigrant’s Guide to Free Government Cell Phones in hope that it could prompt new laws that would tighten up enrollment laws.
You can get more information on how to qualify for a lifeline cell phone.
Mona says
October 6, 2016 at 4:52 amNot true. In order to qualify one must have a valid Social Security number. The company i work for; Life Wireless, verifies a persons identity through their social security number if it cannot identify ones identity it will prompt us to take a photo of their social security card signed and upload it. If someone doesnt have one we cant continue with application. Our system wouldnt allow up to bypass it. Some companies like assurance wireless dont need social security numbers because they make them up and dont have an advance system as ours to verify ones identity.
Erasmo says
June 1, 2016 at 3:15 pmMy fried is trying to get a phone for her boys,her not having a ssn its hard to get a job or assistance for her ,even her boys do get assistance, she can not a phone for her appointment, or any of her kids school matters,how can she get help getting one
Free Government Cell Phones says
June 1, 2016 at 5:13 pmWhy doesn’t she have a social security number?
amina says
August 27, 2016 at 7:06 pmGood
kevin says
March 3, 2016 at 4:59 pmcool
Moorach says
December 15, 2015 at 6:15 pmWhy are illegal aliens more deserving of more governments that needy veterans who have honorably served in the nation’s defense forces?
Moorach says
March 23, 2015 at 7:58 amBefore AT$T would accept me as a long distance customer 7 years ago, I had to give them ny S.S. number and a whole lot of highly personal information, despite my fluency in English and my 4 years of honorable in the Marine Corps.
Cristina says
February 6, 2015 at 12:03 pmMy son was born in New York, he has Medicaid card and social security, I applied to Safelink by they rejected me because I could not provide a social security number in my name, despite the fact that I did send my son’s social security number.
I am a single parent trying to do the best for my son, I need a phone so that his school can communicate with me in case of an emergency.
Heinrich says
November 6, 2016 at 10:33 pmHow do you not have a SS number????
jimmy says
July 29, 2014 at 6:20 amME TOO…
Gabe says
October 4, 2013 at 10:40 amWait, you mean all I have to do is lie and say I’m illegal and poof, I get free shit?? Where do I sign?? I have a hard time believing this crap…. -_-
Scott says
October 1, 2013 at 4:46 pmNice. Illegal aliens can get drivers licenses in some states now. What next? Free car? Maybe a
new 2500 sq foot house? Jacuzzi?
Tim says
February 17, 2016 at 1:36 amAnd we hard working taxpayers pay for it, have you had about enough of this crap?
Ed says
April 27, 2013 at 3:05 pmCan illegal aliens, er, I mean undocumented aliens, get free cell phones from the government? I don’t know but if so it would not surprise me at all. As I understand it, I am usually wrong, these cell phone gifts are a gift from Al Gore who managed to get the added tax on our phone bills to pay for them. It would be nice if along with the free phones the recipients could receive maybe monthly $20 worth of lottery tickets as well. This may be an benefit that has not yet come to be.
Fire Fighter says
December 24, 2016 at 4:16 amIncorrect. It is the added tax each phone PROVIDER pays NOT the customer. People who constantly complain about government benefits never have correct facts.
Free Government Cell Phones says
December 24, 2016 at 7:15 amCheck your own phone bill, Fire Fighter. You’ll see a line item called “Universal Service Fund.” That’s what pays for the free government cell phone program. But the only difference between the Universal Service Fund and a tax is that the former is collected by the phone companies before it is passed on to the government.
Jane says
December 28, 2012 at 9:46 amNot only is there no verification of citizenship, but there is no verification of actual participation of being on any of the of the government assistance programs.
Does this mean that American born citizens have to be on assistance to qualify for this phone, but not illegals? I had to send proof that I was receiving help, why wouldn’t an illegal have to do the same….at least?
Ben says
November 12, 2012 at 2:15 pmA simple solution would be to use UPS to deliver the phones, they will deliver to homes that don’t have a mail box.
Ben says
November 12, 2012 at 2:08 pmThis really sucks.. Illegal aliens can get a phone, but American citizens that were born and raised and lived all their lives in the United states can’t get one if they only have P.O. box.. This part of the program needs to be changed !!!
Lamont Cranston says
June 30, 2012 at 8:17 amNo, if you need a cell phone, buy it yourself.