In a significant change in federal resources to combat immigration issues, President Donald Trump said on Saturday that his administration is considering sending about 90,000 recently hired Internal Revenue Service (IRS) agents to the U.S.-Mexico border.
Speaking to supporters at the Circa Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, Trump proposed repurposing the agents to improve border security and blasted the contentious IRS expansion, which was financed with $72 billion from the Inflation Reduction Act.
“They hired, or tried to hire, 88,000 workers to go after you, and we’re in the process of developing a plan to either terminate all of them, or maybe we’ll move them to the border,” Trump stated. “I think we’re going to move them to the border where they are allowed to carry guns. You know, they’re so strong on guns. But these people are allowed to carry guns. So we will probably move them to the border.”
The request was made just a few days after Trump signed an executive order that put a 90-day hiring freeze in place for most federal agencies.
The only exceptions to this order are those that are related to national security, public safety, and military operations.
During this time, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) will not be permitted to recruit more agents. This is because the newly founded Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is evaluating the personnel requirements.
Trump has just declared a national emergency at the southern border, ordering his government to prioritize border security by reallocating resources and possibly repurposing federal employees. This is in addition to the hiring freeze.
In addition to border security, Trump discussed a number of major economic issues during his speech.
These included promises to impose tariffs on countries that do not cooperate with U.S. immigration programs. If countries like Mexico and Canada do not comply with the border policies of the United States, they may be subject to a 25% tariff beginning on February 1.
The president also suggested a blanket duty of 10% to 20% on all international imports and a possible 60% tariff on Chinese goods, arguing that these measures would produce a large amount of revenue to replace traditional taxation.
“Instead of taxing our citizens to enrich other countries, we will tariff and tax foreign countries to enrich our citizens,” Trump stated. “Massive amounts of money will pour into our Treasury – coming from foreign sources. The American dream will soon be back and thriving like never before.”
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Although his supporters has supported Trump’s plan to move IRS personnel to the border, others contend that such actions could jeopardize the tax agency’s essential operations and present logistical difficulties.
Trump’s followers, meanwhile, view the action as a daring effort to improve national security and stop illegal immigration.
The president’s actions were hailed by the conservative advocacy group Independent Women’s Forum, which said they were an essential step to safeguard American resources and jobs.
The action was denounced by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) as “a dangerous overreach of executive power.”
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The proposed relocation of IRS personnel is likely to come under legal and logistical scrutiny as the Trump administration continues to advance its economic and border security agenda.
According to the administration, further information on the implementation strategy will be made public in the upcoming weeks.
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