By Charles Switzer
12:43pm PST, Feb 11, 2025
Trump Administration Seeks IRS Agents for Immigration Crackdown
In a dramatic escalation of immigration enforcement, President
Donald Trump's administration requested that IRS agents be deputized to assist
ICE in tackling illegal immigration.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), led by Secretary
Kristi Noem, has sent an official request to Treasury Secretary
Scott Bessent, arguing that the additional personnel will help "fully implement the Executive Order" and strengthen efforts at the southern border.
This move highlights the administration's willingness to use every available federal resource to execute its hardline immigration policies. By integrating IRS agents into immigration enforcement, the administration aims to disrupt financial networks that facilitate illegal immigration while also expanding the reach of ICE's operations,
Fox News reported.
Here's everything to know.
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How IRS Agents Would Be Used in Immigration Enforcement
While the IRS Criminal Investigation Division is best known for tracking
financial crimes, the Trump administration reportedly plans to reassign agents to interagency task forces focused on immigration-related offenses.
These agents would be tasked with investigating employers hiring undocumented workers, dismantling human smuggling and trafficking networks and tracking money laundering cases linked to illegal immigration. Additionally, IRS personnel would assist in seizing assets, conducting contract oversight, and handling apprehensions, detentions and removals.
The administration argues that leveraging the IRS's expertise in financial investigations will enhance efforts to combat not just illegal immigration itself but also the economic structures that support it.
IRS Agents Join a Growing List of Deputized Officials
The move to enlist IRS agents follows similar actions where DHS has already deputized various law enforcement personnel to assist in immigration enforcement. Among those who have already been recruited are officers from the Department of Justice, members of the Texas National Guard and officials from the Texas Attorney General's Office.
The administration contends that these partnerships help maximize enforcement capacity amid record
border crossings. However, critics question whether using tax enforcement agents for immigration crackdowns is an overreach, arguing that it diverts the IRS from its core responsibilities while potentially blurring the lines between financial regulation and law enforcement.
Legal and Logistical Challenges to Deputizing IRS Agents
The proposal to repurpose IRS agents for immigration enforcement raises several legal and operational concerns. One major issue is jurisdiction, as IRS agents are trained to investigate financial crimes rather than immigration violations.
Additionally, enforcing immigration laws requires specific training and expertise that IRS personnel may not possess. There are also concerns about potential conflicts of interest, as shifting resources to immigration enforcement could detract from the IRS's primary role in tax collection and financial oversight, the report reflected.
While DHS maintains that IRS agents have the necessary skills to contribute to immigration investigations, legal experts predict that the move could face constitutional challenges and pushback from lawmakers who view it as an inappropriate use of tax enforcement resources.
What's Next? IRS Response and Political Fallout
As of now, the IRS and DHS have yet to publicly respond to the request, but political reactions are already emerging. Conservative lawmakers and supporters of Trump's immigration policies have praised the move as a bold and necessary step in securing the border.
In contrast,
Democrats and civil rights groups have condemned it as government overreach, arguing that it risks politicizing tax enforcement and stretching the IRS beyond its intended function.
