Legal Action
Center for Taxpayer Rights v. Internal Revenue Service
Filed in: U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia
Summary
A coalition of nonprofits, labor unions, and small business associations filed suit against the Trump-Vance administration challenging the Internal Revenue Service’s (IRS) sharing of payment systems and personnel databases with the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). The plaintiffs represent taxpayers, small businesses, and government employees who entrust their personal financial information to the IRS in order to pay taxes, conduct business, and receive benefits. Upon its creation by President Donald Trump in January 2025, DOGE gained access to the payment systems of several government agencies, including the IRS, which contain the highly sensitive personal and financial information of American citizens. Plaintiffs argue DOGE’s ability to view their private information violates the Privacy Act, the Internal Revenue Code, and the Administrative Procedure Act. The plaintiffs request the court find the IRS’s data sharing unlawful and prevent further information from being shared with DOGE.
Plaintiffs
- Center for Taxpayer Rights
- Main Street Alliance
- National Federation of Federal Employees, AFL-CIO
- Communications Workers of America
Plaintiffs' Counsel
- Democracy Forward Foundation
- National Federation of Federal Employees, AFL-CIO
Defendants
- Internal Revenue Service
- Acting Commissioner Michael Faulkender
- U.S. Department of the Treasury
- Secretary Scott Bessent
- U.S. Digital Service
- U.S. DOGE Service Temporary Organization
- Acting Administrator Amy Gleason
- Senior Advisor Elon Musk
- Chief Operating Officer Steve Davis
- U.S. Department of the Treasury DOGE Team
- Office of Personnel Management
- Acting Director Charles Ezell
- General Services Administration
- Acting Administrator Stephen Ehikian