H-1B holders face new US deportation threats from old tax returns: How it happens and who’s at risk

H-1B visa holders in the US are facing heightened deportation risks as immigration authorities increasingly rely on IRS tax records to identify unauthorised work. Income reported from freelance or side jobs—even if taxes were paid—is now being used as grounds for visa denials, entry refusals, and removal proceedings. Immigration lawyers warn that past student work and certain types of declared income are being flagged under stricter enforcement policies introduced during the Trump administration.