The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has requested access to the Internal Revenue Service’s taxpayer data system, a move that could grant it entry to highly sensitive information, including Social Security numbers and tax returns, CNN reports.
DOGE has also launched an IRS-specific account on X, seeking public input on identifying and eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse within the agency. According to The New York Times, DOGE is pushing for access to the IRS’s Integrated Data Retrieval System (IDRS), which contains personally identifiable taxpayer information such as bank account numbers, addresses, and tax filings. Access to this system is tightly controlled, with unauthorized entry punishable by fines and imprisonment.
DOGE is seeking help from the public! Please DM this account with insights on finding and fixing waste, fraud and abuse relating to the Internal Revenue Service.
— DOGE IRS (@DOGE_IRS) February 17, 2025
“Waste, fraud, and abuse have been deeply entrenched in our broken system for far too long,” White House deputy press secretary Harrison Fields told multiple outlets. “It takes direct access to the system to identify and fix it.”
The request has sparked political pushback. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Ron Wyden (D-OR) sent a letter to the IRS commissioner urging full disclosure of any access DOGE personnel have been granted. They warned that unauthorized access to taxpayer records could constitute criminal violations of federal privacy laws.
Meanwhile, the IRS is reportedly preparing to lay off thousands of employees just as tax season ramps up, with Tax Day set for April 15.
