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IRS Chief Deflects Questions on Unlawful Data Sharing with ICE During Congressional Hearing
IRS CEO Frank Bisignano faced pointed questions from lawmakers Wednesday during his first congressional appearance since assuming the newly created leadership position last October. While appearing before the House Ways and Means Committee to discuss taxpayer services during the 2026 tax filing season, Bisignano largely sidestepped inquiries about the agency’s controversial data-sharing practices with immigration authorities.
Democratic lawmakers pressed Bisignano on a recent federal court ruling that found the IRS illegally disclosed confidential taxpayer information approximately 42,695 times to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The information was shared as part of an agreement between ICE and the Department of Homeland Security designed to identify and deport individuals in the country illegally—a key priority of President Donald Trump’s administration.
“Was anyone fired? Was anyone disciplined? Was anyone held accountable?” asked Rep. Mike Thompson, D-Calif., during the heated exchange.
Bisignano, citing ongoing litigation, declined to provide specifics about the disclosures, stating, “I don’t want to debate the numbers.” He confirmed that no employees had been fired or disciplined in connection with the unlawful data sharing. Bisignano repeatedly emphasized that the violations occurred before his tenure began, though he acknowledged, “it’s my responsibility to get it right.”
Last month, U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly ruled that the IRS had violated the law by sharing the tax information of thousands of individuals with immigration enforcement officials. Several ongoing cases challenging the IRS-DHS agreement have resulted in preliminary injunctions that block massive transfers of taxpayer information and prevent ICE from acting on any IRS data currently in its possession.
Rep. Suzan DelBene, D-Wash., called the situation “a catastrophic leadership failure and a huge hit on the public’s confidence in your integrity.”
The controversial data-sharing agreement, signed in April by acting IRS Commissioner Scott Bessent and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, allows ICE to submit names and addresses of immigrants to the IRS for verification against tax records. The arrangement was so contentious that it reportedly led to the resignation of the previous acting commissioner of the IRS.
During the hearing, Bisignano’s intended focus was on the implementation of Republicans’ tax and spending legislation, which includes eliminating taxes on tips and overtime, exempting certain car loan interest, creating deductions for older adults, and launching “Trump Accounts” for children’s savings.
Republican lawmakers used the opportunity to praise the administration’s tax policies. Committee Chairman Jason Smith, R-Mo., highlighted that “Americans are getting bigger refunds that put more money back into their pockets.” According to recent IRS data, the average tax refund has increased by approximately 10%, rising from $3,453 in 2025 to $3,804 in 2026—an increase of $351, though short of the White House’s projected $1,000 average increase.
“Under President Trump, the IRS is putting the American taxpayer first and supporting working families,” Smith added.
Democrats also questioned Bisignano about the IRS’s decision last month to terminate union contracts with its workers. Rep. Richard Neal, D-Mass., suggested that “by terminating the union contract it makes it easier to take apart the IRS.”
Bisignano, who noted he is the son of a former Treasury Department employee, defended the decision, stating, “Federal employees under statute have greater benefits than any union in the world can provide for their people.” He insisted that workers are “losing nothing” through the contract termination.
Bisignano continues to serve simultaneously as commissioner of the Social Security Administration while fulfilling his duties as IRS CEO, with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent remaining as acting IRS commissioner. This dual leadership structure represents a significant change in how the tax agency is managed during a period of intense scrutiny and operational challenges.
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12 Comments
Transparency and accountability are critical for government agencies like the IRS. The public deserves to know if anyone was disciplined or held responsible for these unlawful data-sharing practices.
Agreed. The IRS director’s refusal to answer questions is troubling and raises more questions than answers. The public has a right to know the details.
The IRS director’s refusal to answer questions is deeply concerning. Taxpayers deserve to know the details of this breach and what measures are being taken to prevent similar incidents in the future.
This is a concerning situation. Taxpayer privacy is crucial and the IRS needs to be held accountable for any unlawful data disclosures. I hope there is a thorough investigation to determine what happened and ensure it doesn’t happen again.
This is a troubling development that underscores the need for stronger data privacy protections. The IRS must be held accountable and ensure this type of breach never happens again.
It’s alarming to hear about the IRS unlawfully sharing taxpayer data with ICE. This raises serious concerns about government overreach and the erosion of civil liberties. Transparency and accountability are essential.
This raises alarming questions about the IRS’s data management practices and the potential for abuse of taxpayer information. Robust oversight and strict data privacy protocols are essential to protect the public’s trust.
This highlights the need for stronger data privacy protections and oversight of government agencies. Taxpayer information should be closely guarded, not shared improperly with other authorities.
Absolutely. The IRS needs to implement robust policies and procedures to prevent future breaches of taxpayer confidentiality.
Taxpayer privacy is sacrosanct, and the IRS needs to take immediate action to address these unlawful data disclosures. Failing to hold anyone accountable is unacceptable and undermines public confidence in the agency.
The IRS director’s refusal to answer questions is unacceptable. Taxpayers deserve to know if anyone was held responsible for these unlawful data disclosures. Adequate safeguards must be put in place to protect sensitive information.
The unlawful sharing of taxpayer data is a serious breach of trust. The IRS needs to be transparent about what happened and what steps are being taken to prevent future incidents. Taxpayer privacy should be a top priority.