IRS Acting Commissioner Melanie Krause Plans Resignation Amid Turmoil

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Acting Internal Revenue Service Commissioner Melanie Krause announced her plans to resign Tuesday, citing internal turmoil and concerns surrounding the agency’s recent agreement with Homeland Security to share immigrant data, according to two administration officials.

Krause’s resignation comes just one day after the IRS finalized a data-sharing agreement with the Department of Homeland Security, designed to help locate undocumented immigrants in the United States. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem reached this agreement, which allows U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to submit immigrant names to the IRS for cross-verification of tax records.

The announcement of her departure is set against the backdrop of significant changes at the IRS, with Krause expected to officially leave her role on April 28, as part of a deferred resignation offer for federal employees.

A spokesperson for the Treasury Department, which oversees the IRS, praised Krause’s leadership during a turbulent time. “Melanie Krause has been leading the IRS through a time of extraordinary change,” the spokesperson stated. “As we focus on IT modernization and reorganize the agency to better serve the taxpayer, we are also in the midst of breaking down data silos that for too long have stood in the way of identifying waste, fraud and abuse and bringing criminals to justice. We believe these goals are critical to a more efficient government and safer country. We wish Melanie well on her next endeavor.”

Krause began her career at the IRS in 2021 as the chief data and analytics officer and was promoted to chief operating officer before assuming the role of acting commissioner last year. Her exit marks yet another leadership change at the IRS, which has seen three resignations in 2025 alone. Notably, former IRS commissioner Danny Werfel resigned on Inauguration Day, and former acting commissioner Doug O'Donnell opted not to sign the controversial data-sharing agreement before his retirement.

Krause’s announcement comes at a particularly busy time for the IRS, with the individual income tax-filing deadline looming just a week away. It also follows the agency’s efforts to reshape itself amidst ongoing reforms initiated during the Trump administration, which aimed to streamline the Federal Government.