Press Releases

WASHINGTON, DC – Representative Jimmy Gomez (CA-34), a member of the House Ways and Means Committee, joined Reps. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25), Linda Sánchez (CA-38), and Dan Goldman (NY-10) in calling on the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to immediately halt any efforts to misuse confidential taxpayer data for immigration enforcement.

In a letter to Acting IRS Commissioner Melanie Krause and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, Gomez and 61 House Democrats raised alarms over reports that DHS has requested Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers (ITINs), address data, and other sensitive tax information to facilitate large-scale immigration operations—even when individuals are not suspected of any crimes. These revelations come amid concerning reports that Treasury officials, including the IRS’s acting Chief Counsel, were removed for resisting such efforts.

“We write to express our grave concern regarding reports that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is considering disclosing taxpayer information... to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for immigration enforcement purposes,” the Members wrote. “Such actions would undermine taxpayer confidentiality, erode trust in our nation’s tax system, and have a chilling effect on compliance, particularly among immigrant communities who contribute billions in tax revenue annually.”

The Members pointed to long-standing legal and policy protections that strictly limit how taxpayer data can be used and shared. Under Section 6103 of the Internal Revenue Code, tax return information may only be disclosed in narrow, well-defined circumstances—none of which include civil immigration enforcement.

“The IRS has long maintained that tax compliance must be encouraged through confidentiality protections. Any deviation from this guiding principle risks eroding public trust and discouraging taxpayers from fulfilling their obligations,” the letter continues. “If immigrants fear that filing taxes could expose them to deportation, many will choose not to file, reducing Federal revenues... while shifting resources to the informal economy.”

The letter also cites previous legal guidance from the IRS’s Office of Chief Counsel, as well as warnings from the National Taxpayer Advocate that such actions would undermine voluntary compliance and the integrity of the tax system.

Gomez and his colleagues are demanding a formal clarification of the agencies’ current policies and any communications between the IRS and DHS regarding the use of tax information for immigration enforcement. They also urge the IRS to publicly reaffirm its commitment to taxpayer privacy.

Read the full letter here.