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The Internal Revenue Service is reportedly considering adding a citizenship-status question to individual tax returns as the Trump administration continues efforts to coordinate federal tax and immigration enforcement systems.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
The Internal Revenue Service is considering revisions to federal tax forms that would require some filers to identify their citizenship status, according to individuals familiar with internal discussions surrounding next year’s filing documents.
Officials inside the agency are reviewing two separate versions of Form 1040, the standard federal income tax return used by individual taxpayers to report income and claim deductions or credits, according to sources who spoke anonymously because they were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly.
One version reportedly contains only routine updates reflecting changes to federal tax law. A second draft includes those revisions along with an additional citizenship disclosure field instructing filers to “Check this box if you are a non-U.S. citizen or have dual citizenship.”
The Treasury Department, which oversees the IRS, declined public comment regarding the reported proposal.
Under current law, foreign nationals residing in the United States — including individuals living in the country illegally — are generally required to file federal taxes if they earn income subject to taxation. Those taxpayers currently use the same IRS filing forms as American citizens.
The possible addition of a citizenship question comes amid broader efforts by the Trump administration to strengthen coordination between federal agencies involved in immigration enforcement.
Throughout 2025, the Department of Homeland Security and the Treasury Department pursued agreements designed to facilitate information-sharing involving taxpayer records and immigration investigations tied to deportation operations.
Those efforts drew legal challenges from immigration advocacy organizations and privacy groups concerned about the use of confidential tax records in immigration enforcement proceedings.
A federal judge blocked the IRS in November from sharing taxpayer information with DHS under the proposed arrangement. The federal government later appealed the ruling.
Court filings submitted earlier this year also revealed that the IRS acknowledged improperly sharing data connected to more than 42,000 taxpayers with the Department of Homeland Security.
The potential citizenship disclosure requirement could further intensify debate over the relationship between tax compliance and immigration policy.
Supporters of stricter immigration enforcement have argued that clearer citizenship identification within federal systems would improve oversight and help agencies verify eligibility for certain tax benefits or government programs.
Critics, however, have raised concerns that additional disclosure requirements could discourage tax compliance among noncitizens and expand the federal government’s ability to track immigration status through tax records.
No final decision regarding the proposed Form 1040 revisions has been publicly announced.