Government worker physically removed after refusing to list thousands of immigrants as "dead" in Social Security database
A senior Social Security Administration executive was physically dragged from his office by Department of Government Efficiency officials after refusing to participate in a controversial plan.
DOGE Squad's Controversial Plan
The shocking incident occurred this week as tensions escalated within the federal agency over a controversial immigration policy.
Greg Pearre, a career civil servant who led an IT team working on the agency's data systems, found himself at odds with Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
According to reports from The Washington Post, Pearre opposed a scheme that would falsely list thousands of migrants as deceased in a critical Social Security database.
The database in question, known as the "death master file," serves as a crucial verification system used by financial institutions, government agencies, and other organizations.
Being listed in this database effectively cuts individuals off from accessing banking services, government benefits, and other essential financial resources.
The "Self-Deportation" Strategy
Sources close to the matter revealed that the plan had been in development since February.
A team of approximately twelve civil servants from Social Security were assigned to assist DOGE officials and Department of Homeland Security agents with implementing the strategy.
The ultimate goal? To push migrants who had been granted temporary legal status under the Biden administration to "self-deport" by making their financial existence in America virtually impossible.
Many career staff within the agency reportedly expressed concerns that the project was potentially illegal or unethical.
"It's the source of that data that the whole world uses, which is why, if it's inaccurate, it has such devastating impacts on people," explained Jim Francis, a consumer law lawyer currently suing Social Security for wrongly entering a Maryland woman into the file. "Overnight, you literally become financially paralyzed."
The Human Impact
The consequences of being falsely listed as deceased extend far beyond mere inconvenience.
Tom Kind, a 90-year-old Colorado retiree who previously experienced being incorrectly listed as dead, described the ordeal as a "nightmare."
He lost access to his benefits and health coverage and faced significant hurdles convincing the agency he was still alive.
After navigating complex bureaucratic processes, Kind ultimately had to appear in person at a Social Security office to prove he wasn't deceased.
"That's not any fun," he told The Washington Post.
Internal Resistance and Compliance
Even Leland Dudek, Social Security's acting commissioner, reportedly harbored concerns about the legality of the plan.
However, under pressure from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, he ultimately signed two memorandums on Monday authorizing the database changes.
The result was more than 6,000 migrants being falsely classified as deceased in the system despite being very much alive.
The Physical Removal
It was just two days after these memorandums were signed that Greg Pearre, who had consistently opposed the action, was physically removed from his office.
Multiple witnesses confirmed to The Washington Post that DOGE officials physically dragged the senior executive from his desk after he continued to voice opposition to the plan.
When contacted by reporters, Pearre declined to comment on the incident. Acting Commissioner Dudek also refused to provide any statement regarding the matter.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the administration's actions, stating: "The Trump Administration is protecting lawful American citizens and their hard-earned Social Security benefits, and ensuring illegal immigrants will no longer receive such economic entitlements."
She added a pointed warning: "Anyone who disagrees with the common sense policies of this Administration can find a new job."
The forced removal of a career civil servant marks an unprecedented escalation in the implementation of the administration's immigration policies, raising serious questions about the treatment of government employees who raise ethical or legal concerns about official directives.
