IRS May Soon Help ICE Track Illegal Aliens

The IRS is close to finalizing a deal that would allow Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to use taxpayer data to track down illegal immigrants for deportation—a move that could reshape how federal agencies work together.

Key Facts:

The IRS is negotiating an agreement with ICE to verify taxpayer data, including home addresses, to help locate illegal immigrants.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) would not access IRS databases directly but could work through IRS agents.
Many illegal immigrants file taxes using Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers (ITINs), which contain personal data.
The IRS has historically resisted sharing data due to legal and privacy concerns.
The Trump administration replaced the top IRS lawyer to push forward this initiative and has redirected DHS agents to prioritize deportation cases.

The Rest of The Story:

The Trump administration is pushing for deeper cooperation between the IRS and ICE in an effort to increase deportations.

Under the proposed agreement, ICE would not have direct access to sensitive IRS systems but could crosscheck information with the help of IRS agents.

This collaboration would primarily focus on data provided by illegal immigrants who file taxes using ITINs—special identifiers given to those without a Social Security number.
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While the IRS usually protects taxpayer data from other agencies, it has shared information in limited cases involving law enforcement, typically after a court order.

The new arrangement would mark a shift in policy, potentially opening the door to more efficient enforcement actions.

The IRS had previously resisted similar efforts, citing legal limitations and concerns over breaching taxpayer confidentiality.

Efforts to finalize this deal come alongside a broader DHS reorganization that has reassigned agents to focus on deportation efforts.

DHS spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin confirmed the administration is actively mobilizing law enforcement to find and remove illegal immigrants.

Instead of having Biden’s 87,000 IRS agents take more money from Americans, I have requested that they help taxpayers SAVE money by helping ICE round up criminal illegal aliens for deportation. pic.twitter.com/odpMunmm3o

— Secretary Kristi Noem (@Sec_Noem) February 10, 2025

Commentary:

This makes total sense.

Illegal immigrants volunteering their tax information—addresses, employer names, and income—creates a logical path for enforcement.

If an agency has data that could help enforce the law, why wouldn’t it be used?

No taxpayer data would be accessed directly by ICE.

Instead, ICE would work with IRS agents, which keeps legal safeguards in place.

What’s crazy is that government agencies haven’t already figured out more efficient ways to work together like this.

For years, federal departments have operated in silos, protecting their turf instead of solving problems.

When one hand doesn’t know what the other is doing, it only helps people trying to avoid accountability.

Critics will no doubt argue this violates trust in the tax system.

But those working illegally are already violating federal law.

Filing taxes doesn’t make someone immune from immigration enforcement.

If anything, it proves the federal government knows where these individuals are—and simply hasn’t acted.

The IRS’ reluctance to cooperate may be based more on internal politics than actual legal constraints.

With leadership changes already happening at the agency, it’s clear the administration is serious about removing roadblocks.

Streamlining this process doesn’t require breaking any laws—it requires agencies doing their jobs smarter.

If the IRS has legal ways to verify information that helps uphold federal immigration law, it’s about time that information gets used.

The Bottom Line:

The IRS and ICE are nearing a deal that could reshape immigration enforcement by using tax records to locate illegal immigrants.

This isn’t about breaching privacy—it’s about enforcing existing laws through smarter coordination.

If finalized, the agreement could give ICE a powerful new tool in its deportation efforts.