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IRS Data Sharing with ICE and Recent Immigration Changes
This past Friday, I had the pleasure of joining Andreina Gandica on Buenos Días América at Univision Radio for our usual Immigration Wednesday segment. We discussed a critical update that could affect many immigrant families—an agreement between the IRS and immigration authorities to share certain personal information.
While this isn’t entirely new in practice, it’s now public and official. Data like addresses, phone numbers, ITINs, and even dependent details from tax forms could be used to locate individuals with pending immigration cases or removal orders. If you’ve filed taxes while undocumented, you may be wondering how this could affect you. I recommend speaking with an immigration attorney who understands how your specific history might be impacted.
We also answered several audience questions—like what to do if your spouse has a case that was closed administratively but you’re in the consular process, how long a permanent resident can be outside the U.S., and whether a pending I-130 protects someone from immigration consequences (it doesn’t!).
We touched on how the government is revoking parole status for many who entered with the CBP One app, and how the new CBP Home app can help avoid a formal deportation. I also addressed a concern from a U visa applicant needing to travel for family reasons, explaining why that travel is generally not advisable without careful planning.
My sincere thanks to Andreina for hosting me with such professionalism and warmth. These conversations are vital in helping our community stay informed and safe.
If you have questions about your immigration case, I invite you to call my office at (305) 671-0018 or visit my appointment page to schedule a consultation.
Let’s stay informed and protected.
Original Transcript
ANDREINA GANDICA:
Ya estamos conectadas con Martha Arias, quien es abogada de inmigración. Martha, buenos días y gracias por acompañarme en este miércoles de inmigración.
DRA. MARTHA L. ARIAS:
Buenos días, un saludo para ti, Andreina, y para toda la audiencia. Feliz mitad de semana.
ANDREINA GANDICA:
Sí, señora. Semana muy convulsa, ¿no? Sobre todo por esta noticia que hemos recibido, abogada, del IRS que está acordando compartir información de indocumentados con autoridades migratorias. ¿Qué significa esto? ¿Qué impacto va a tener para los migrantes que confiaron en el IRS que no compartiría su información? Cuéntanos cómo lo ve usted como abogada.
DRA. MARTHA L. ARIAS:
Bueno, sí, Andreina. A ver, esto significa que el Departamento de Rentas Internas va a compartir la dirección y ciertos datos confidenciales o privados, como teléfonos, direcciones, con el Servicio de Inmigración. No es algo nuevo, Andreina. La verdad, yo como abogada de inmigración por 21 años sé que el Servicio de Inmigración puede mirar ciertos datos con el IRS.
Por ejemplo, he visto oficiales que revisan las planillas de impuestos de las personas y, obviamente, ahí va la dirección. Lo que pasa es que ahora hay un acuerdo que se hizo público, y pues significa que en este momento el gobierno va a usar esa base de datos para buscar a las personas que considere que están en el país ilegalmente y que de pronto tengan una orden de arresto por parte de inmigración o una orden de deportación no ejecutada.
ANDREINA GANDICA:
Martha, ¿podríamos ser más específicos? ¿Cuál es esa información que tiene el IRS y que hasta este momento no había compartido con ICE y que ahora pone en aprietos a muchos indocumentados?
DRA. MARTHA L. ARIAS:
La información son direcciones, nombres completos, teléfonos, el número de seguro social en caso de que lo hayan aportado, o los ITIN. También los datos de familiares o personas dependientes que aparecen en la aplicación. Esa sería la información que el IRS puede tener y que compartiría con inmigración.
ANDREINA GANDICA:
Claro. Vámonos a las líneas. Si usted llama al 1-833-867-2346 puede hacerle preguntas a la abogada Martha Arias, experta en inmigración. Tenemos a Armando desde Texas. Armando, buenos días. Tu pregunta para la abogada, por favor.
ARMANDO:
Buenos días, Andreina, buenos días, abogada. Ciudadano pidiendo a su esposa, ya estamos en el proceso consular, pero hace más de 10 años la policía la paró y fue a dar a inmigración. El caso se cerró, pero solo administrativamente. ¿Qué se hace? ¿Cuál es el proceso a seguir?
DRA. MARTHA L. ARIAS:
Buena pregunta. Le resumo: si su esposa va a salir del país para recibir la residencia consular con la I-130 que usted presentó, asegúrese de que ya tenga aprobado el perdón 601-A, que es el perdón por presencia ilegal. Si ha estado indocumentada por más de un año, al salir, no podría regresar por 10 años. El perdón elimina esa penalidad.
Segundo, hay que hacer una moción para reabrir el caso cerrado administrativamente y pedir salida voluntaria. Ella no puede irse del país con el caso en corte, aunque esté cerrado. Eso sería autodeportarse. Si recalendariza el caso y pide salida voluntaria, no tendrá problemas en el consulado. Son dos pasos cruciales.
ANDREINA GANDICA:
Más llamadas al 1-833-867-2346. Primo, buenos días. Tu pregunta para la abogada.
CALLER:
Buenos días, Andreina, Yana, y licenciada Martha. Una persona que abandona los Estados Unidos con residencia permanente y regresa dentro de 3 o 4 años, ¿puede ser solicitada nuevamente por un hijo?
DRA. MARTHA L. ARIAS:
En principio sí, pero depende del caso. Puede haber factores como condenas penales que impidan el reingreso. Le recomiendo mejor solicitar un re-entry permit. Permite salir por hasta 2 años sin perder la residencia y puede renovarse. Se solicita estando en EE.UU.
ANDREINA GANDICA:
Abogada, el gobierno de Trump revoca estatus legal a migrantes que entraron con CBP One. ¿Qué deben saber?
DRA. MARTHA L. ARIAS:
Sí, muchos recibieron un parole que ahora se revoca. Algunos ya tienen residencia, otros aplicaron por asilo, ajuste cubano o petición familiar. Quienes no tienen esos procesos pendientes deben salir. Existe la nueva app CBP Home para que salgan voluntariamente sin quedar con deportación.
ANDREINA GANDICA:
José, desde California, adelante con tu pregunta.
JOSE:
Tengo Visa U y el permiso de trabajo de buena fe. ¿Puedo pedir parol por razones humanitarias? ¿Puedo combinarlo con una petición de hijo ciudadano para obtener la residencia más rápido?
DRA. MARTHA L. ARIAS:
Si tiene permiso de trabajo por Visa U, es porque fue considerado elegible. El proceso tarda 8-10 años. No se recomienda pedir parol ni salir. Si entró legalmente y tiene hijo ciudadano, puede ajustar por esa vía. Pero si entró sin inspección o tiene orden de deportación, no podrá ajustar por el hijo. Siga con la Visa U.
ANDREINA GANDICA:
Un oyente pregunta: tengo parol humanitario y solicité I-130 como residente para mi esposa. ¿Puedo quedarme después del 24 de abril?
DRA. MARTHA L. ARIAS:
No. La I-130 no da estatus legal ni permiso de trabajo. Si el peticionario no es cubano, no se puede quedar.
ANDREINA GANDICA:
¿Dónde la podemos encontrar?
DRA. MARTHA L. ARIAS:
Mi oficina es AriasVilla.com. Teléfono (305) 671-0018.
ANDREINA GANDICA:
Gracias, abogada, por acompañarnos este miércoles.
DRA. MARTHA L. ARIAS:
Gracias a ustedes.
ANDREINA GANDICA:
Además, va muy guapa hoy.
DRA. MARTHA L. ARIAS:
Estoy aquí después de una cita de inmigración, un caso de hace 15 años. ¡Para celebrar quinceañero! Algún día les cuento.
ANDREINA GANDICA:
¡Ese cuento lo queremos! Un abrazo.
English Transcript
ANDREINA GANDICA:
We’re now connected with Martha Arias, who is an immigration attorney. Martha, good morning and thank you for joining me on this Immigration Wednesday.
IMMIGRATION LAW ATTORNEY MARTHA L. ARIAS, ESQ:
Good morning, a greeting to you Andreina and to all the audience. Happy midweek.
ANDREINA GANDICA:
Yes, ma’am. A very turbulent week, right? Especially because of this news we’ve received, attorney, that the IRS is agreeing to share information about undocumented immigrants with immigration authorities. What does this mean? What impact will this have on migrants who trusted the IRS not to share their information? Tell us how you see it as an attorney.
IMMIGRATION LAW ATTORNEY MARTHA L. ARIAS, ESQ:
Well, yes, Andreina. Let’s see, this means that the Internal Revenue Service is going to share addresses and certain confidential or private information, like phone numbers, addresses—they will be shared with immigration services. It’s not something new, Andreina. Honestly, I’ve been an immigration attorney for 21 years and I know that immigration services can access certain IRS data.
For example, I’ve seen officers who look at people’s tax returns, and obviously those forms contain people’s addresses. What’s happening now is that there’s a formal agreement, it has been made public, and it means that right now the government may use that database, so to speak, to look for people it considers to be in the country illegally and who may have an immigration arrest warrant or an outstanding deportation order.
ANDREINA GANDICA:
Martha, could we be more specific? What is this information that the IRS has and that up until now hadn’t been shared with ICE, and now puts many undocumented immigrants in a tough spot?
IMMIGRATION LAW ATTORNEY MARTHA L. ARIAS, ESQ:
The information includes addresses, full names, phone numbers, Social Security numbers if the person provided one, or ITINs. It can also include family members or dependents listed in the tax application. That’s basically the data the IRS may have and that could be shared with immigration.
ANDREINA GANDICA:
Of course. Let’s go to the phone lines. If you call 1-833-867-2346, you can ask questions to attorney Martha Arias, immigration expert. We have Armando from Texas. Armando, good morning. Your question for the attorney, please.
ARMANDO:
Good morning, Andreina. Good morning, attorney. I’m a citizen petitioning for my wife. We’re in the consular process, but over 10 years ago the police stopped her and she ended up in immigration. The case was closed, but only administratively. What do we do? What’s the process to make sure everything is okay?
IMMIGRATION LAW ATTORNEY MARTHA L. ARIAS, ESQ:
Okay. That’s a very good question and the answer is a bit long, but I’ll try to summarize. When your wife goes to leave the U.S. to attend her consular interview with the I-130 you filed, make sure she already has the approved 601-A waiver, which forgives unlawful presence. If she’s been undocumented in the U.S. for more than one year, leaving would trigger a 10-year bar from reentry. The 601-A waiver removes that penalty so she can go, get her green card, and come back.
Secondly, she needs to file a motion to recalendar—meaning reopen the case that was administratively closed—and request voluntary departure. She cannot leave the U.S. while the case is in court, even if closed administratively, because doing so would be self-deportation. Recalendar the case and request voluntary departure. If she does that, she won’t have any problem receiving her green card through the consulate. Those are two critical steps.
ANDREINA GANDICA:
More calls to 1-833-867-2346. Primo, good morning. Your question for the attorney.
CALLER:
Good morning, Andreina, Yana, and attorney Martha. Question: if a person with permanent residency leaves the U.S. due to this turmoil and returns 3 or 4 years later, can they be petitioned again by a child?
IMMIGRATION LAW ATTORNEY MARTHA L. ARIAS, ESQ:
In principle, yes, but it depends on the specific facts of the case. For example, some people may have criminal convictions that make them inadmissible to receive residency again. I’d suggest a better option: apply for a re-entry permit. This permit allows a green card holder to leave the U.S. for up to 2 years without losing residency. It can be renewed. They must apply while still in the U.S. Once they have it, they can leave and remain abroad for that period without losing their status.
ANDREINA GANDICA:
Attorney, the Trump administration is revoking legal status for migrants who entered with the CBP One app under Biden. Who exactly are they and what should they keep in mind?
IMMIGRATION LAW ATTORNEY MARTHA L. ARIAS, ESQ:
Yes, most people who entered the U.S. using the CBP One app received a parole. That parole is now being revoked, and those individuals are supposed to leave the country. It’s about 900,000 people, but not all will be affected the same way.
Some may have already received their green cards. Others may be Cuban and eligible for Cuban Adjustment. Others may have been petitioned by a family member or married a U.S. citizen. Others may have applied for asylum. Those likely to face the harshest consequences are the ones without any of these pending processes. The government created a new app called CBP Home to help people provide their information and depart the U.S. without being deported. Some will use it, others may not, but the app is intended for those who entered with CBP One and received parole but now want to leave.
ANDREINA GANDICA:
José, from California. Go ahead with your question.
JOSE:
Thanks. I have a U visa application, not yet approved, but I have the bona fide work permit. In extreme situations, can someone with a U visa get a travel permit? And can it be combined with a petition from a U.S. citizen child to speed up getting a green card?
IMMIGRATION LAW ATTORNEY MARTHA L. ARIAS, ESQ:
Okay. Why would you want the travel permit? To leave and return?
JOSE:
Correct. My father is in poor health, and you never know.
IMMIGRATION LAW ATTORNEY MARTHA L. ARIAS, ESQ:
If you have the work permit, it’s because you’ve been found prima facie eligible. It means you’re eligible in principle and were granted a work permit while your case is pending. Decisions take 8 to 10 years now—very slow.
It’s not advisable for someone with a pending U visa to travel. A travel permit or parole is not an option at this stage. You can’t apply for it here before leaving. Maybe a travel permit exists, but I would never recommend it. If you entered legally and your child is a U.S. citizen, you might adjust status through that petition. But if you entered illegally or have a deportation order, it won’t be easy to adjust through the child. So, my recommendation is to continue with the U visa case.
ANDREINA GANDICA:
One more question via social media: I have humanitarian parole and filed an I-130 for my wife as a resident. Can I stay in the U.S. after April 24?
IMMIGRATION LAW ATTORNEY MARTHA L. ARIAS, ESQ:
No. The I-130 does not give legal status or work authorization. It’s just the possibility of a green card in the future. If the petitioner is not Cuban, then no, you cannot stay.
ANDREINA GANDICA:
Attorney, where can we find you?
IMMIGRATION LAW ATTORNEY MARTHA L. ARIAS, ESQ:
My name is Martha Arias. My website is AriasVilla.com, which is the name of my law firm. Phone number is (305) 671-0018.
ANDREINA GANDICA:
Thank you for joining us this Immigration Wednesday.
IMMIGRATION LAW ATTORNEY MARTHA L. ARIAS, ESQ:
Thank you, and happy rest of the week.
ANDREINA GANDICA:
You look very elegant today.
IMMIGRATION LAW ATTORNEY MARTHA L. ARIAS, ESQ:
I’m here after an immigration appointment—a case after 15 years. It’s like a quinceañera celebration! I’ll share the full story another time.
ANDREINA GANDICA:
Yes, attorney, you owe us that story. We’re off the air now.
IMMIGRATION LAW ATTORNEY MARTHA L. ARIAS, ESQ:
I’ll tell you that long story later. Thanks!
ANDREINA GANDICA:
Yes, thank you. A hug!
