The U.S. government increasingly relies on the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for identifying undocumented immigrants through immigrant tax records. This is the second time U.S. immigration services collaborated with the IRS for immigration enforcement. According to the New York Times, the government wants access to the individual taxpayer identification number (ITIN). This is because an ITIN is how people without a Social Security Number (SSN) file tax returns.

Historically, the IRS conceals taxpayer data. The one exception is during non-tax criminal investigations. The government first requested accessed immigrant tax data in August, 2025. Initially, collaboration involved comprehensive data sharing between the IRS and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). In response, two federal judges blocked that policy.

The move is part of a larger shift in government immigration enforcement methods. It may push more people to work off the books to avoid taxes.

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