Judge Grills Government on Details of IRS-ICE Information Sharing Deal

By Editorial Team

A senior judge in Washington, D.C., questioned a government attorney on Friday regarding the specifics of the Internal Revenue Service’s (IRS) sharing of tax return information with immigration enforcement agencies. The judge emphasized that understanding the details was essential in evaluating a coalition of organizations’ efforts to halt this practice.

The judge’s scrutiny came during a recent court session where the government’s attorney was pressed for clarity on the IRS’ disclosure practices to agencies like U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The judge highlighted the importance of comprehending the intricacies of the information-sharing deal to make an informed decision on the coalition’s motion to block the practice.

The coalition of organizations involved in challenging the IRS-ICE information sharing deal includes the American Federation of Labor & Congress of Industrial Organizations, Communications Workers of America, and Democracy Forward Foundation. The case is being heard in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

Key government agencies mentioned in the case include the Internal Revenue Service, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Department of Justice, and U.S. Department of the Treasury. Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly is presiding over the matter.

As the legal proceedings unfold, the court is expected to delve deeper into the specifics of the IRS’ practices regarding the sharing of sensitive taxpayer information with immigration enforcement entities. The outcome of this case could have significant implications for the privacy rights of taxpayers and the boundaries of information sharing between government agencies.