Puntos Clave
• El Servicio de Impuestos Internos compartió datos de más de 700,000 personas con autoridades migratorias este año.
• Se prevé más del 10% de reducción en declaraciones de impuestos de comunidades inmigrantes debido al miedo.
• Podrían perderse hasta $479 mil millones en recaudación si continúa la tendencia de no presentar declaraciones.
A recent change in federal immigration policy has stirred fear in many immigrant communities. This change has caused a sharp drop in the number of people filing their tax returns, especially among undocumented immigrants. In this article, we will look at why these fears have grown, what this could mean for immigrants themselves, and how it might impact the country’s finances and community trust. As reported by VisaVerge.com, understanding the connection between tax filings and immigration enforcement is not simple, but it is important for everyone living in the United States 🇺🇸.
What Has Changed? New Fears in Immigrant Communities
For many years, undocumented immigrants have filed their tax returns each year, using special numbers known as ITINs (Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers). Many believed that staying up to date with their declaraciones de impuestos (tax filings) would help show they were following the law and might help them if there was a chance for legal status in the future.
But this year, something has changed. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) asked the Servicio de Impuestos Internos (which is the Spanish name for the Internal Revenue Service, or IRS) to share the records of at least 700,000 people suspected of being undocumented and who already have orders to leave the country. According to court documents, the IRS agreed to provide this information in these cases, even though in the past it was promised that these tax records would stay private.
Once the news got out, fear grew quickly. Many people in comunidades inmigrantes started to worry that information on their tax returns could be used by immigration officers to find and deport them or their family members. This has led to many deciding not to file their taxes this year, or at least to delay filing as long as possible.
How Data Sharing Feeds Anxiety
The key cause of anxiety is data sharing. The IRS usually protects the information that you submit with your declaraciones de impuestos. However, there are now cases where, under certain rules in tax law, the IRS is sharing this private data with the DHS. The people most at risk are those who have a final order of removal (meaning the government has already decided they have to leave the country). While this may sound like a small group, news coverage has made many more fear that their tax information might also be shared in the future.
This fear isn’t happening in a vacuum. Immigrant communities have seen what can happen when government agencies share information. Many families remember stories of someone being questioned or picked up by immigration officers after giving their details to another government office. Now, people see that even following the rules—by doing their declaraciones de impuestos—could make them a target.
The Role of Publicized Enforcement Actions
The fear is not just about what might happen. There have been real examples that make the worry feel very real. News stories and local reports tell of immigrants who tried to do the right thing—by paying taxes and being honest—only to become more visible to immigration enforcement officials. Even those who pay taxes now believe this could make them easier to find if ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) comes looking.
These stories are spread and discussed in Spanish-language media and through word-of-mouth in comunidades inmigrantes. The effect is that many decide it’s safer not to file at all.
The Economic Impact: Billions at Stake
The drop in tax filings is not just a problem for individual families—it’s also a big issue for the country’s finances. Undocumented immigrants in the United States 🇺🇸 pay almost $90 billion every year in state, local, and federal taxes. That number includes personal income taxes, sales taxes, and other taxes that help pay for schools, hospitals, and roads.
Federal officials expect that by April 15, the total number of people filing tax returns will fall by more than 10 percent compared with last year, mainly because of scared or doubtful immigrant filers. Over the years, experts say that if these fears continue and more people stop filing, the country could lose as much as $479 billion. That is a huge amount of money that supports many public programs.
Here’s a simple summary:
– Less tax revenue: With fewer people filing, the government gets less money to spend on schools, libraries, and other important programs.
– Risk to credits and refunds: Many immigrants who skip filing lose credits like the Child Tax Credit. Mixed-status families (where some members are citizens and others are not) may be hurt the most, because children who were born in the U.S. may miss out on help they deserve.
How Families Are Reacting
Community leaders and tax preparers are hearing from many worried families. Some tax preparers advise immigrants not to file their taxes at all this year. Others suggest using a P.O. box instead of a home address when filling out returns—hoping to avoid giving up any hint of where they live.
Many immigrants now feel forced to choose between two bad options:
1. File their declaraciones de impuestos as usual and hope their information will not be shared with DHS, or
2. Skip filing to avoid the risk of getting targeted, even if it means losing out on much-needed refunds or tax credits for their U.S.-born children.
Both choices are stressful and frightening. The anxiety spreads far beyond the people directly at risk. Even long-term residents, who have filed taxes for years, are now waiting until the last minute, watching for any shift in policy before they decide what to do.
Why Filing Taxes Used to Feel Safe
For decades, the U.S. government encouraged all residents to file their taxes, no matter their immigration status. The message was clear: doing so would not hurt anyone’s chances if the law changed and a path to legal status opened up. People trusted that their tax information would not be used against them in immigration enforcement.
Lawmakers designed strict rules to keep tax information private. Many people used the Internal Revenue Service’s website to learn about ITIN numbers and other ways to file if they did not have a Social Security Number. Filing taxes also showed “good moral character,” something that can help if a person applies for some types of immigration relief in the future. Officially, the Servicio de Impuestos Internos (IRS) itself says that this information is protected, unless there are special exceptions allowed by the law, like threats to national security or a court order.
As a result, U.S. agencies collected billions in tax revenue over the years from those willing to trust the system.
For more information, you can visit the official website of the Internal Revenue Service to see their advice about ITIN numbers and tax filing.
A Big Change in Policy—and Trust
But this new policy, where the IRS gives information to immigration officials for those who have final removal orders, breaks the long-standing promise of privacy. Lawmakers and immigrant rights groups are growing worried that this will damage the trust that communities inmigrantes have in the government.
Some in Congress say that this move could break tax privacy laws. They argue that punishing people who try to follow the law—by paying their taxes—makes it less likely that anyone will want to do the right thing in the future. These leaders believe it also damages the relationship between immigrant groups and U.S. agencies, making it harder for the government to build trust.
The Bigger Picture: Consequences for Everyone
Why does this matter for people who are not immigrants? First, taxes help fund services everyone uses, from public schools to fire departments. When fewer people file, it harms everyone, not just those who stay away out of fear. That lost revenue adds up quickly, and important programs might have less money to work with.
Second, the policy could set a worrying example for the future. If tax information can be shared more widely today, who will be safe from leaks or sharing tomorrow? Families are asking themselves whether they can trust other promises from government agencies.
Third, the damage goes beyond money. Decades of work to encourage civic participation and help immigrants become part of the community could be at risk. If entire communities feel they must hide, they may avoid not just tax filing but also schools, health clinics, and other public services—hurting both their own families and the neighborhoods in which they live.
Voices from the Community: How Immigrants Feel
Directly from comunidades inmigrantes, people are torn. One undocumented father, who has paid taxes every year for a decade, shared with a reporter that this year, for the first time, he did not feel safe filing. He knows it might mean he loses money he would otherwise get back from the IRS, but believes the risk of being separated from his family is far greater.
Others say they feel punished for trying to do the right thing. One tax preparer explained to the media, “I’ve had loyal clients for many years, but now they call and ask, ‘Will I be in danger if I file?’ I have to be honest and say, ‘I don’t know.’ That’s never happened before.”
A Table Summing Up the Situation
Here’s a quick look at the main effects of these changes:
| What’s Happening | Result |
|---|---|
| IRS shares tax info with immigration agency | More people afraid to file taxes |
| Drop in tax returns from immigrants | Over 10% fewer returns expected compared to last year |
| Less money in public budgets | Up to $479 billion in lost revenue if trend continues |
| Community reaction | Delays, non-filings, use of P.O. boxes, growing anxiety |
Policy Debate: Privacy, Fairness, and the Law
The current debate in Washington, D.C. is not just about money. Lawmakers and community groups are asking tough questions:
– Should tax records ever be shared with immigration authorities?
– Is it fair to target people who have tried to do what’s right by filing declarations de impuestos?
– Can government agencies keep promises of privacy, or will these fears keep growing?
Some lawmakers warn that the long-term harm could be huge. If people don’t trust the IRS or the Servicio de Impuestos Internos to keep data safe, they may stop giving real information—not only when they file taxes but also in other government matters. This could make it harder to run programs or to get accurate numbers for things like the census or health studies.
What Immigrants Can Do
Right now, there is a lot of mixed advice. Some people say immigrants should keep filing to avoid penalties in the future. Others suggest waiting to see how the news develops. If you or your family are worried, you can:
– Talk with a trusted community leader or tax expert before taking action.
– Use an ITIN to file if you don’t have a Social Security Number, but be careful with your address.
– Stay up to date with any changes by checking the IRS official site or community help centers.
Final Thoughts: A Worrying New Chapter
This year, fear of deportation and increased data sharing between government agencies have led many immigrants to avoid filing their tax returns for the first time in years. The drop in declaraciones de impuestos is already making life harder for many families and threatens the loss of billions in tax revenue over time.
These changes have brought anxiety to comunidades inmigrantes and put important social programs at risk. At the same time, public debate has started about whether the country should ever share private tax data with immigration enforcement. What happens next will depend on lawmakers, future government actions, and the community’s ability to regain trust.
For the latest updates or help with tax filing questions, visit trusted resources such as the official IRS website. The choices made now will have long-lasting effects for families, schools, and communities across the United States 🇺🇸.
Aprende Hoy
Número ITIN → Identificación fiscal otorgada a quienes no califican para un Seguro Social, permitiendo declarar impuestos en EE.UU.
Declaración de impuestos → Documento anual que reporta ingresos, créditos y obligaciones fiscales de una persona ante el gobierno.
Orden final de deportación → Resolución legal definitiva que obliga a una persona a abandonar los Estados Unidos.
Servicio de Impuestos Internos (IRS) → Agencia federal responsable de recaudar impuestos y administrar leyes fiscales en EE.UU.
Crédito tributario por hijos → Beneficio fiscal reembolsable otorgado a familias elegibles con hijos, incluso para quienes presentan con ITIN.
Este Artículo en Resumen
El temor a la deportación tras el intercambio de datos entre agencias federales ha llevado a muchos inmigrantes a dejar de presentar sus declaraciones de impuestos. Esta situación amenaza la recaudación pública, afecta servicios esenciales y debilita la confianza de las comunidades en el sistema. Se requiere una respuesta clara y protecciones reforzadas.
— Por VisaVerge.com
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