IRS proposes churches, other nonprofits get Social Security numbers from donors

An Obama administration proposal to have some nonprofit charities report the Social Security numbers of donors giving at least $250 in one year is raising concerns about security, government overreach and another episode of IRS targeting.

“There’s a big caution here. There’s a big yellow light that should be flashing for a couple of reasons,” Illinois Republican Rep. Peter Roskam tells Fox News.

“Number one, the IRS has not demonstrated its capacity to hold this type of information from confidentiality and a security point of view.”

The change would impact organizations that fall into the 501 (c)(3) category, which includes churches and other religious or charitable groups.

The Internal Revenue Service states the proposed change would be optional. But skeptics question whether it will eventually become the only option.

“It’s the No. 1 regulation that people are commenting upon,” attorney Cleta Mitchell recently told Fox News.

Mitchell argues that the IRS cannot be trusted and that the change could have a devastating impact on charities’ ability to collect enough money to survive.

“It would have a dramatic effect on donors’ decisions on whether or not to contribute,” she said. “You’d see a lot of $249.99 contributions to every charitable organization in America. It’s preposterous.”

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