When I read that story, I was wondering if the (relatively common?) practice of undocumented workers submitting Social Security numbers that aren't theirs to employers was what is being called "identity theft" ...
There's a bit of controversy and pointing of fingers going on:
- IRS says "you must pay taxes on income" - Worker says "I'll gladly pay taxes, but I don't have a number" - SS says "you can't get a number unless you're a citizen or have DHS paperwork proving you can work here" - Worker shrugs - IRS says "Here's a number that's not your SS#"
http://www.irs.gov/individuals/article/0,,id=96287,00.html
The IRS also has a long-standing policy of not cooperating with other law enforcement agencies for crimes that aren't directly related to non-payment of taxes. That is, a request by DEA for anyone who filed their tax return with "Drug Dealer" as their occupation will likely be rejected.
At least that's what it has been like; in the future? Who knows. I don't THINK that DHS has had any luck asking for the list of numbers that IRS gives out as a way of finding uncodumented workers, but I could be wrong. If the list of people they were after was only 175, I doubt any large-scale harvesting is going on.
/jordan