In an unprecedented step, the IRS is breaking new ground in its collaboration with ICE, sharing taxpayer information to facilitate deportations of illegal immigrants.
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This move raises significant privacy concerns, clashing with the sacrosanct principles of taxpayer confidentiality.
Supporters argue it’s a necessary tool for enforcing immigration laws, but critics warn of unprecedented government overreach.
The agreement, which involves a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the Department of Homeland Security and the IRS, aims to bolster deportation proceedings against undocumented immigrants.
This initiative may be seen as neither surprising nor unneeded given the present porous state of our immigration system.
It’s believed this data sharing will provide ICE with critical information about immigrants whom they have already issued final removal orders.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem have signed the agreement, reinforcing the government’s commitment to address illegal immigration.
Using taxpayer information, ICE will have the ability to track down illegal immigrants through details provided by the IRS.
This marks a significant departure from longstanding tax privacy norms.
The Internal Revenue Service and the Immigration and Customs Enforcement have entered into a memorandum of understanding to establish a clear and secure process to support law enforcement’s efforts to combat illegal immigration, said a Treasury Department spokesperson, cited by The Guardian.
The partnership’s legality has been supported by citing longstanding congressional authorities.
While this collaboration aims to provide essential support to law enforcement, some have voiced concerns about its impact on taxpayer privacy.
Public Citizen co-president Lisa Gilbert has called it a breach of privacy laws.
For now, this MOU is being challenged in court, as immigrant advocacy groups are pushing back.
This agreement outlines specific conditions under which ICE can request information required for criminal proceedings.
These requests necessitate crucial details like the taxpayer’s name and address, ensuring the secure use of access to privileged information.
It remains important to note, though, that no tax information requests have been made by Homeland Security as of April 7.
The backdrop of this policy shift stems from the Trump administration’s emphasis on merging IRS and ICE capabilities to amplify deportations.
Consequently, concerns arise that such collaborations might dissuade immigrants from filing taxes.
Undocumented workers have considerably contributed to the U.S. economy, paying nearly $90 billion in taxes in 2023.
Despite arguments for national security and law enforcement, balancing it with preserving taxpayer privacy emerges crucial from this narrative.
‘UNPRECEDENTED’: The potential deal would allow ICE to obtain addresses of illegal immigrants using IRS tax data. The collaboration comes as @realDonaldTrump tries to speed up deportations, following through on one of the key promises he set on the campaign trail. pic.twitter.com/yj8pxque4N
— Fox News (@FoxNews) March 28, 2025
