FAIR: Victory! DC Circuit Rejects Illegal Aliens' Bid for Tax Privacy

FAIR showed groups protecting illegal conduct have unclean hands

WASHINGTON, Feb. 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit rejected an effort by activist groups to stop the Internal Revenue Service from sharing information about illegal aliens with another federal agency, the Department of Homeland Security. The groups fear that the data-sharing program instituted by the Trump Administration will result in more deportations of the illegal aliens the groups serve. The Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) had filed a brief in the DC Circuit urging the court to deny the injunction the groups seek.

FAIR pointed out in its brief that the illegal alien service groups cannot be heard to demand an injunction protecting the continued violation of federal immigration law. Under the doctrine of "unclean hands," a plaintiff whose own conduct is unlawful or in bad faith cannot demand an injunction by a court, even if the conduct they seek to enjoin is itself unlawful—as is hardly the case here.

Today, the court held that the data-sharing program complies with applicable statutes, and therefore is, indeed, lawful.

"There is nothing wrong with one federal agency sharing information with another, to further the purposes of Congress in the immigration laws," said Christopher J. Hajec, deputy general counsel of FAIR. "And even if there were, a court should not use an injunction to protect bad conduct by plaintiffs. We are pleased the court refused to join in helping illegal aliens evade the law, saw that there is no basis for an injunction here, and ruled in favor of the administration."

The case is Centro de Trabajadores Unidos v. Bessent, No. 25-5181 (DC Circuit).

To schedule an interview with one of FAIR's spokespersons, contact Hayley Hill at [email protected].

SOURCE Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR)