(Washington)—The Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC) denounces the IRS’s decision to cooperate with ICE officials in helping them find immigrants targeted for deportation by sharing sensitive information, an unprecedented decision that some IRS officials and legal experts have said could be a violation of law.
While the IRS-ICE memorandum of understanding appears to be limited to individual requests about people they are investigating, unless this is stopped by litigation, it could be expanded and interpreted in a much broader way. The ILRC is also concerned this could have possible implications for workplace enforcement.
Taxpayers have relied on the IRS to keep their information—such as home addresses, earnings and other data—safe and secure. All taxpayers in the United States, regardless of status, should be guaranteed that this information is not shared for other purposes, including to benefit immigration enforcement, and that their right to privacy be fully respected.
Immigrants and citizens alike take their taxpaying requirements seriously and in turn, expect the IRS to protect their data. We encourage taxpayers to consult with a tax professional to assess their individual situation around disclosing their personal information to the IRS.
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The Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC) is a national nonprofit that works with immigrants, community organizations, legal professionals, and policy makers to build a democratic society that values diversity and the rights of all people. Through community education programs, legal training & technical assistance, and policy development & advocacy, the ILRC works to protect and defend the fundamental rights of immigrant families and communities. Follow us at www.ilrc.org, and @the_ILRC on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram and TikTok. Also follow us on Bluesky @the-ilrc.bsky.social, and on Facebook.