IRS May Give ICE Access To Tax Records To Help Deport Illegal Immigrants
The IRS is preparing to help ICE confirm the addresses of illegal immigrants who have been ordered to leave the country, marking a major shift in how taxpayer information is handled.
According to reports, a draft agreement would allow ICE to submit names, addresses and dates of deportation orders for verification against IRS records. The IRS would not release full tax files, but would confirm if the address matches what is listed in its system.
Roughly half of the estimated 11 million illegal immigrants in the U.S. file tax returns. Many do so using a special identification number created for people who lack a Social Security number. Their tax forms often contain details about their jobs, incomes and living arrangements.
For decades, the IRS has promised that tax filings from undocumented immigrants would remain private. That policy helped encourage illegal immigrants to report their earnings and pay taxes without fear of deportation.
Some career officials inside the IRS are alarmed by the proposed deal, arguing it could misuse legal exceptions meant for criminal investigations. Under the current plan, ICE would only be able to confirm addresses for individuals already subject to a final removal order.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem or Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons would be the only officials allowed to request the verifications.
The Trump administration has pushed for greater cooperation between federal agencies as it ramps up deportation efforts. Leadership changes at the IRS helped restart talks after earlier requests were denied.
Last month, Acting IRS Commissioner Doug O’Donnell turned down a Department of Homeland Security request involving 700,000 suspected illegal immigrants. He retired the next day after 38 years of service. His replacement, Melanie Krause, has shown more willingness to work with DHS, according to reports.
The administration also replaced the IRS’s top lawyer, who had opposed sharing taxpayer data with other agencies. Talks have since resumed on a more limited scale, focusing only on confirming known details rather than broad data sharing.
