A federal judge in Massachusetts has ordered federal immigration authorities to stop using taxpayer information for immigration enforcement purposes.
U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani issued the ruling Thursday, blocking the Internal Revenue Service and Social Security Administration from sharing taxpayer data with the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Judge Talwani said the DHS’ claim that noncitizens lack Fourth Amendment protection against unreasonable searches and seizures is ripe for abuse.
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The decision follows an agreement the IRS finalized last year with DHS to share tax data on suspected undocumented immigrants targeted for deportation. The data-sharing agreement reportedly enabled ICE to submit the names and addresses to the IRS of people who may be in the U.S. illegally. The IRS could then cross-reference that information with tax records for verification.
Undocumented workers are legally required to pay federal taxes on their income. To file tax returns, the IRS issues Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers and collects personal information, including addresses.
