A federal judge has refused to halt a controversial Trump administration plan allowing the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to share taxpayer data with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to track and deport undocumented migrants.
US District Judge Dabney Friedrich, a Trump appointee, ruled on Monday that the agreement between the IRS and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) does not, on its face, violate taxpayer confidentiality laws.
The decision comes as a setback to immigrant-rights groups, which argued the data-sharing memorandum undermines long-standing privacy protections and could deter undocumented immigrants from filing taxes.
The deal, pushed through in April, permits ICE to request tax information for individuals suspected of criminally defying deportation orders.
Critics argue this is a legal loophole to enable civil immigration enforcement.
Friedrich, however, found the plaintiffs failed to demonstrate imminent harm or prove that the data would be misused for civil deportations.
“The Memorandum only allows sharing information for criminal investigations,” Friedrich wrote, adding that the court cannot assume unlawful intent based on the current record.
The ruling marks a legal win for former President Donald Trump’s hardline immigration agenda.
The IRS, long seen as a firewall safeguarding immigrant privacy, has faced internal turmoil over the agreement.
Two acting commissioners have stepped down, including one last month, amid mounting concerns over data misuse.
Advocates warn the agreement sets a dangerous precedent, eroding taxpayer privacy for all Americans.
An appeal to the D.C. Circuit Court is under consideration.
COMMENTS
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ