John,

The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) is the government's most significant program in the fight against poverty, providing $60 billion annually to low-income families. Despite this crucial initiative, Congressional Republicans have aggressively pushed to combat "fraud," leading to a drastic increase in EITC audits by the Internal Revenue Service.

Meanwhile, audits on millionaires have been on the decline.

As a result of this blatant disregard for low-income families, the five most audited counties in the United States are primarily African American, low-income, and located in the Deep South.

The fight against tax fraud should not be used as an excuse to undermine the EITC or other programs that help low-income families. The vast majority of EITC claims are legitimate and benefit families who are working hard to make a living. Instead of attacking the EITC, Congress should focus on rooting out fraud from the top down, by cracking down on tax shelters, offshore accounts, and other tactics used by the wealthy to evade taxes.

Thankfully, President Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act into law last year, allocating $80 billion to the IRS over the next decade. This new funding is crucial for modernizing the IRS and holding the ultra-wealthy tax cheats accountable, with $40 billion specifically for enforcement aimed at the wealthiest Americans.

The problem is Republicans don’t care about racial inequity but they do want to protect wealth tax cheats, so they’re trying to repeal IRS funding by any means necessary. Tell Congress: Combat racial inequality and defend this $80 billion investment in the IRS now.

The racial inequality in tax enforcement is not just a matter of audits. The IRS also disproportionately targets low-income and minority communities for collection efforts, such as wage garnishments, liens, and property seizures. These aggressive tactics have devastating consequences for families already struggling to make ends meet, and they are often used against people who owe relatively small amounts of money.

The current system is not only unfair but also ineffective. By cutting funding for the IRS and shifting the burden of enforcement to low-income families, the government is missing out on billions of dollars in uncollected taxes from the ultra-wealthy.

The tax system has been rigged against low-income and minority communities for far too long. With $40 billion specifically for enforcement targeted at the wealthiest Americans, this new funding is essential for modernizing the IRS and holding ultra-wealthy tax cheats accountable.

Tell Congress to prioritize funding and enforcement for the IRS to protect low-income and middle-class families. We must combat racial inequality by defending this $80 billion investment in the IRS and crack down on wealthy tax cheats. Sign and send your message now.

Together, we can create a fair and just tax system that works for all Americans. Let's make a real change and demand that Congress take immediate action to support the IRS and low-income families.

- Amanda

Amanda Ford, Director
Democracy for America
Advocacy Fund