The acting commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service is expected to resign after the agency agreed to share immigrants' tax data with the Department of Homeland Security, allowing Immigration and Customs Enforcement to help identify and deport undocumented immigrants.
Melanie Krause is leaving the agency due to disagreement over the Treasury Department's decision to share IRS taxpayer data, the Washington Post reported.
In a court filing on Monday, the IRS disclosed its memorandum of understanding with DHS that will allow the tax agency to disclose to ICE the names and addresses of immigrants, along with other information.
The court filing is part of a lawsuit filed by the nonprofit Public Citizen, which seeks to bar the Treasury Department from disclosing tax return information.
The IRS is mandated to guard tax information within its agencies, and over the years, it has consistently assured undocumented taxpayers that their information is confidential and that it is safe for them to file tax returns, said Murad Awawdeh, president and chief executive officer of the New York Immigration Coalition.
"Instead of punishing people who contribute and comply with our tax laws, our government should be working to protect their rights and build trust," he said. "The federal government should be expanding pathways to legal status, not punishing people who are doing everything they can to contribute to our economy."
Undocumented New Yorkers contribute $6.7 billion in local, state, and federal taxes annually, while immigrants with status contribute $74.8 billion, according to the NYIC.
