Filing on Shaky Ground: Why Immigrant Tax Filings Are Dropping across California

Across California, tax preparers in immigrant communities are seeing an unprecedented drop in filings, in some places, more than 60 percent. KRCB News Reporter Shandra Back explores why undocumented and mixed status families are stepping back from the tax system this year. We visit a legacy tax prep business in Santa Rosa where longtime clients are walking away, discouraged by shrinking credits and shaken trust in federal agencies. We hear from families who have filed faithfully for decades but now question whether it’s worth it. Then, we zoom out with statewide experts from the Bay Area Council Economic Institute and the California Immigrant Policy Center to understand the broader economic stakes, from billions in lost revenue to the long-term consequences of eroding trust in filing. Finally, we head to Southern California, where fear of immigration raids is keeping even documented Latino residents from leaving their homes, let alone filing taxes. Reporter: Shandra Back, KRCB Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Filing on Shaky Ground: Why Immigrant Tax Filings Are Dropping across California is an episode from KQED's The California Report by KQED.

This episode is 9:00 long.

This episode was published on Apr 14, 2026.

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