Tax Data: A New Tool for Tracking?

The IRS is on the brink of a significant shift in policy. It is poised to share some of its data with the Department of Homeland Security. This move aims to help locate migrants who are suspected of being in the US without proper documentation. The person who revealed this information is familiar with the ongoing negotiations. This development comes as the current administration continues to prioritize deportation efforts. The proposed agreement involves a specific process. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) would submit names and addresses of suspected undocumented individuals to the IRS. The IRS would then cross-reference this information to confirm the details. This is a notable change. Historically, tax information has been tightly controlled within the IRS. Laws strictly prohibit the improper disclosure of taxpayer information. The IRS has actively encouraged undocumented migrants to file taxes. This process involves providing the agency with essential details. These details include addresses, employers, and earnings. This practice raises questions about privacy and the potential misuse of personal information. Privacy experts have expressed concerns. They argue that sharing this data could violate strict disclosure laws that the IRS operates under. The current draft of the agreement is narrower than an earlier version. Initially, the Department of Homeland Security had requested extensive information. This included the home addresses of hundreds of thousands of individuals who paid federal taxes using individual taxpayer identification numbers. The current plan focuses on confirming addresses rather than providing detailed tax information to ICE. This shift in policy has sparked legal action. Two immigrant rights groups in Chicago have sued the Treasury Department and the IRS. They are seeking to block the agency from sharing taxpayers’ identifying information with ICE or DHS. The groups argue that federal law forbids the IRS from giving this data to immigration authorities. They point out that ICE and DHS are not listed as exceptions to the confidentiality rules in the tax code. The IRS's decision to share data with immigration authorities is a contentious issue. It raises important questions about privacy, data security, and the role of government agencies. As the negotiations continue, it remains to be seen how this agreement will impact undocumented migrants and the broader community. The outcome of this policy shift could have far-reaching implications for privacy and immigration enforcement.