IRS Improper Data Sharing with DHS Puts Everyone at Risk
In 2025 Public Citizen filed a lawsuit against the Trump Administration to protect private taxpayer data
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, the Washington Post reported that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) improperly shared confidential taxpayer data with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
In March 2025, Public Citizen Litigation Group, Alan Morrison and Raise the Floor Alliance filed a lawsuit against Trump Administration officials to stop the IRS from implementing a data-sharing deal that would give immigration enforcement authorities access to confidential taxpayer information. That case is currently on appeal in the D.C. Circuit. Two other federal courts have preliminarily concluded that the IRS and DHS acted unlawfully in sharing taxpayer address information and have enjoined the practice.
Public Citizen Co-President Lisa Gilbert issued the following statement:
“This breach of confidential information was part of the reason we filed our lawsuit in the first place. Sharing this private taxpayer data creates chaos and as we’ve seen this past year, if federal agents use this private information to track down individuals, it can endanger lives.”