The Trump administration has signaled a clear policy shift: federal agencies are expected to work more closely together in enforcing immigration laws. Former IRS Commissioner Billy Long has been removed from his position after declining to fully comply with a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) request involving taxpayer data.
According to officials, DHS provided the IRS with a list of about 40,000 individuals suspected of being in the U.S. without legal authorization and asked for help confirming addresses using confidential taxpayer information. Reports indicate that the IRS verified fewer than 3% of the names.
Long, a former congressman, stated that the IRS would share information only within the boundaries of its existing agreements with DHS. That stance conflicted with a recent presidential directive expanding Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) ability to request certain information in support of enforcement operations.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent will serve as interim IRS commissioner while a permanent replacement is selected. In a statement, the Treasury Department thanked Long for his service and noted that the agency will be taking a different approach going forward, one that is more in line with the administration’s broader enforcement strategy.
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