A recent report from KHOU highlights ongoing negotiations between the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the Department of Homeland Security, which could lead to increased cooperation to identify the location of undocumented migrants. This could be a pivotal shift in the role the IRS plays with respect to immigration enforcement.
Under the potential agreement, ICE would be empowered to provide the IRS with specific names and addresses of individuals suspected of residing in the U.S. illegally. The IRS would then cross-reference this data — a move that has surfaced significant privacy concerns. "There is a process in place for a court to look at that and decide whether or not that information should be released," said legal analyst Michael Moore, highlighting the legal complexities involved, and the juxtaposition found within the Trump administration's own efforts to shield his tax records from public view, as noted by KHOU. The move is said to be in line with the previous administration's immigration policies that some voters support, reflecting a certain political continuity in these strategies.
In response to these developments, two immigrant rights groups in Chicago have launched a lawsuit against the Treasury Department and the IRS, seeking to prevent any potential sharing of taxpayer information with ICE or the Department of Homeland Security, as reported by KHOU.
Further details from The Washington Post diving into the draft agreement reveal it may grant ICE the ability to verify addresses only for those undocumented immigrants with final removal orders, requests solely initiated by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem or the acting ICE Director Todd Lyons. The draft also prescribes the verification for individuals "subject to criminal investigation" for immigration law violations, possibly stretching the originally narrow exception to privacy laws intended solely for criminal inquiries, IRS officials worry.
Traditionally, the IRS has maintained a strict policy regarding taxpayer confidentiality, encouraging even undocumented migrants to file tax returns without fear of repercussion. This potential shift in policy comes after a change in leadership at the IRS. Former acting IRS Commissioner Doug O’Donnell, who rejected a large-scale DHS data request, retired shortly after his decision, making way for Melanie Krause, who reportedly appears more open to such collaboration. These changes are happening during an era where Trump has called for the "largest mass deportation of immigrants in U.S. history," as per a report by The Washington Post. Neither the DHS nor representatives for DHS commented immediately when prompted.
