Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem requested the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) provide personnel to assist with immigration enforcement. Secretary Noem stated placing IRS employees under Department of Homeland Security supervision helps pursue financial audits of businesses suspected of having undocumented workers or engage in illegal activity. This marks the latest of the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement efforts.

The request called for IRS criminal investigators to operate under DHS oversight. Secretary Noem stated they would have full authority to enforce immigration laws while working under the DHS. Noem claimed rooting out nonlegal migrants and illegal businesses were better uses of IRS effort rather than investigating the financial crimes of citizens.

The IRS received an $80 billion budget expansion in 2022, and identified more than $9 billion in financial crimes in 2024. Despite these reports, IRS immigration enforcement strains agency resources as criminal investigators only make up three percent of the workforce. The Treasury Department has not responded to Secretary Noem and the DHS’ request.

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