Fact check: Did Biden hire 87,000 irs agents

1. Summary of the results

The claim about Biden hiring 87,000 IRS agents is significantly misleading. The number comes from a 2021 Treasury Department report estimating potential total hires by 2031 ^[1], but the reality is quite different:

• In 2023, the IRS hired only 13,661 total positions, with just 495 for enforcement ^[2]
• From 2024-2030, they expect to hire about 32,500 for enforcement, totaling around 53,000 employees across all job types ^[2]
• The IRS currently has about 80,000 employees, with only 2,100 special agents ^[3]

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

Several crucial pieces of context are missing from the original question:

• The Inflation Reduction Act provided $80 billion to the IRS, including $45.6 billion for enforcement ^[4]
• Most new hires would be replacements for retiring workers in various roles ^[1]:

Customer service representatives

Technology specialists

Taxpayer assistance staff

IT personnel ^[3]

• Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has explicitly directed that new resources should not increase audit rates for households earning under $400,000 ^[5]

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The "87,000 IRS agents" narrative has become a political talking point that benefits different groups:

• Republican lawmakers have used this claim in campaign messaging ^[4]
• Conservative sources express skepticism about the Treasury Department's claims, noting that historically, most additional tax recommendations came from auditing lower-income taxpayers ^[6]
• The IRS maintains they will focus enforcement on large corporations and wealthy taxpayers ^[2]

The narrative has been repeatedly debunked ^[4] but continues to circulate, likely because it serves as an effective political messaging tool for those opposing increased IRS funding and enforcement capabilities.