1. United States
2. Calif.
3. Letter

For decades, the IRS assured taxpayers that confidential tax return information would remain protected and would not be used for immigration enforcement purposes. That foundational promise is now in jeopardy, threatening the integrity of our entire tax system. Immigrant workers contribute billions of dollars in taxes annually, funding public services even when they are excluded from many of the benefits those taxes support. When the IRS shares confidential data with the Department of Homeland Security for immigration crackdowns, it betrays the voluntary compliance that our tax system depends on. Families who file taxes in good faith now face the risk that doing so could expose them to targeting and deportation. This chilling effect will inevitably reduce tax compliance across immigrant communities, undermining revenue collection and eroding public trust. I urge you to launch an immediate congressional investigation into any IRS-DHS data sharing agreements. Congress should hold public hearings to examine the scope and authorization of these arrangements, demand full documentation of what information has been shared and under what legal authority, and identify which officials authorized this policy shift. Affected taxpayers deserve notification, and the public deserves transparency through mandatory reporting requirements. Beyond investigation, Congress must pass statutory safeguards that permanently prohibit the IRS from sharing confidential tax data for civil immigration enforcement. The tax system cannot function if people fear that compliance will be weaponized against them. I also urge you to support robust IRS funding that allows the agency to focus on its core mission of tax collection and enforcement against wealthy tax cheats and profitable corporations that exploit loopholes. A fully staffed IRS should be auditing those who owe the most, not facilitating immigration enforcement. Congress should also restore free filing options that make tax compliance accessible to all taxpayers. Our tax system depends on trust. Once that trust is broken, the consequences extend far beyond immigration policy to the fiscal foundation of our government.