The Department of Homeland Security’s proposal to deputize IRS agents for immigration enforcement has ignited a firestorm of legal and political debate.
Key Takeaways
- DHS Secretary Kristi Noem requests Treasury to deputize IRS agents for immigration enforcement tasks.
- Proposal aims to enhance DHS capabilities in investigating illegal employment and human trafficking.
- Plan includes granting officials rights to seize assets and track migrants.
- Sanctuary cities, led by San Francisco, are legally challenging the constitutionality of the proposal.
- Critics argue the move could divert resources from the IRS’s primary tax enforcement duties.
DHS Seeks IRS Assistance in Immigration Enforcement
In a bold move that has sent shockwaves through Washington, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem has formally requested the Treasury Department to deputize Internal Revenue Service (IRS) agents to assist with immigration enforcement. This unprecedented proposal aims to bolster DHS capabilities in probing financial activities linked to illegal employment and human trafficking, key aspects of the current administration’s comprehensive immigration strategy.
The request, outlined in a letter from Secretary Noem to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, seeks to leverage the IRS’s considerable workforce and expertise in financial investigations. With over 2,100 trained law enforcement officers among its 100,000 employees, the IRS represents a potentially significant resource for immigration enforcement efforts.
Instead of having Biden’s 87,000 IRS agents take more money from Americans, I have requested that they help taxpayers SAVE money by helping ICE round up criminal illegal aliens for deportation. pic.twitter.com/hD4v3xDNWf
— Kristi Noem (@KristiNoem) February 10, 2025
Expanded Powers and Responsibilities
Under the proposed plan, deputized IRS agents would be granted expanded powers, including the ability to seize assets and track migrants. This move aligns with President Trump’s executive order directing DHS to “take all appropriate action to supplement available personnel to secure the southern border and enforce the immigration laws of the United States.”
The proposal outlines nine key areas where IRS agents could contribute: supporting immigration task forces, targeting illegal hiring, investigating human trafficking, seizing assets, overseeing contracts, aiding apprehensions, monitoring migrants, assisting in detentions, and helping with removals. This comprehensive approach aims to create a more robust and multi-faceted immigration enforcement system.
Legal Challenges and Controversy
The proposal has not been without its critics. Sanctuary cities, spearheaded by San Francisco, are mounting legal challenges against the Trump administration’s executive orders that seek to cut federal funding to sanctuary cities and prosecute non-cooperative local officials. These cities argue that the federal government is overstepping its authority and that sanctuary laws actually improve public safety.
Critics also argue that this move could potentially divert resources from the IRS’s primary tax enforcement duties, potentially leading to increased tax evasion and a widening of the U.S. deficit. However, supporters of the plan argue that the expertise of IRS agents in financial investigations is crucial for building complex cases involving tax, immigration, and money laundering charges.
A Broader Strategy
This proposal is part of a larger strategy by the Trump administration to strengthen immigration enforcement. President Trump has already halted the hiring of new IRS agents and has proposed moving nearly 90,000 IRS agents to assist in securing the southern border. This aligns with efforts by Republican lawmakers to weaken the IRS’s enforcement capabilities while simultaneously bolstering border security.
As the debate continues, the nation watches closely to see how this controversial proposal will unfold and what impact it may have on both immigration enforcement and tax collection in the United States. The coming weeks are likely to see intense legal and political battles as both supporters and opponents of the plan make their cases in the court of public opinion and the halls of justice.
Sources:
I.R.S. Agents Are Asked to Help With Immigration Crackdown
Trump’s Department of Homeland Security looking to deputize IRS agents for immigration enforcement
Homeland Security asks for IRS agents to be deputized to root out illegal migrants
