Tax sweep could affect thousands of immigrants
posted by: Dan Boniface

GREELEY (AP) - Arrests continue this weekend in a Weld County tax probe that could affect thousands of immigrants.

Officials say some 1,300 warrants could be issued over the coming months as they investigate phony tax returns filed through a Greeley tax preparer that serves Latinos. Already at least 15 have been arrested.

Authorities say some illegal immigrants were using phony Social Security numbers to receive improper tax refunds from the federal government. Weld County District Attorney Ken Buck says investigators have traced some $2.6 million in payments.

However, immigrant advocates in the area say the probe is a backhanded attempt to deport immigrants before the Supreme Court can rule on an identity theft question that could affect the Weld County cases. They say more than a thousand families could be broken up before the legal questions are ironed out.

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