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Wyden and senators press IRS CEO on alleged unlawful data sharing and Social Security data risks
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Summary
Senators raised a federal‑court finding and inspector general investigations about taxpayer and Social Security data sharing, pressing IRS CEO Mr. Bizzignano on notifications to affected individuals, whether anyone was detained because of disclosures, and how the agency is securing cross‑agency data.
Senator Ron Wyden and other committee members confronted IRS Chief Executive Officer Mr. Bizzignano on April 15 about alleged unlawful disclosures of confidential taxpayer information and risks tied to Social Security data.
Senator Wyden said a federal judge had found the IRS unlawfully disclosed taxpayer data to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in nearly 43,000 cases and asked whether affected taxpayers had been notified and whether the IRS knew whether that sharing led to detentions or deportations. "Have the affected taxpayers... been notified that their confidential tax information was illegally shared?" Wyden asked.
Mr. Bizzignano repeatedly declined to comment on specifics, citing ongoing litigation: "As you all know, there's ongoing litigation on this, and I'm not gonna comment on ongoing litigation." He said the agency was cooperating with oversight and that some legal rulings had been issued but that he could not debate active cases.
Separately, senators raised reports and a Social Security Inspector General letter about a former Department of the Treasury ("Doge" in the transcript) staffer who purportedly downloaded restricted Social Security Administration data. The IRS CEO said outside experts had reviewed data security and that he had not, to date, "seen any data that left the house," while acknowledging the IG is investigating and withholding details to avoid compromising the probe.
Why it matters: Senators framed the issue as central to public trust in filing and compliance systems, warning that privacy breaches or improper cross‑agency data sharing could suppress voluntary compliance and harm vulnerable individuals. Wyden said, "If people believe filing taxes will lead to their abuse or detainment... they aren't gonna comply."
Responses and next steps: Mr. Bizzignano said the IRS had elevated risk management and brought in outside reviewers to validate security practices. Multiple senators asked for more granular briefings and for the agency to provide the committee with reports from outside reviews and any notifications sent to affected taxpayers. The CEO said staff had met with committee staff and pledged to follow up where litigation and IG restrictions permit.
The committee did not reach a resolution during the hearing; senators requested written follow‑ups and additional staff briefings to reconcile court findings, IG work and the IRS's internal reviews.
