WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge has issued a temporary injunction against billionaire Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), halting their access to Social Security systems that contain personal data of millions of Americans. The judge criticized the team's activities as a “fishing expedition,” asserting that their lack of justification for accessing such sensitive information raises serious concerns.
U.S. District Judge Ellen Hollander of Maryland ordered the DOGE team to delete any personally identifiable information they currently possess. This ruling comes in light of findings that the team was granted extensive access to data at the Social Security Administration (SSA) with minimal oversight. Judge Hollander remarked, “The DOGE Team is essentially engaged in a fishing expedition at SSA, in search of a fraud epidemic, based on little more than suspicion.”
Despite the ruling, Judge Hollander has permitted DOGE staffers to access data that is redacted or devoid of personally identifiable information, provided they undergo appropriate training and background checks. “To be sure, rooting out possible fraud, waste, and mismanagement in the SSA is in the public interest. But that does not mean that the government can flout the law to do so,” she emphasized in her decision.
The Trump administration asserts that DOGE's mission is to eliminate waste within the federal government. Musk has labeled the Social Security system as a “ponzi scheme,” asserting that minimizing waste is crucial for reducing government expenditure. This ruling, which is subject to appeal, arises from a lawsuit initiated by labor unions, retirees, and the advocacy group Democracy Forward. They contended that DOGE's access infringes on privacy laws and poses significant risks to information security.
The lawsuit included a declaration from a former SSA official who expressed deep concerns about the potential exposure of sensitive information following the DOGE team's arrival at the agency. The White House has yet to respond to requests for comments regarding the ruling.
According to court documents, DOGE comprises a 10-person team of federal employees, with seven granted read-only access to the SSA's systems, including personally identifiable information. The government maintains that these employees are authorized to access data under federal privacy laws, asserting that there is no evidence of improper data sharing. The Justice Department claims that DOGE's access aligns with standard practices within the agency, where employees routinely search databases.
However, attorneys representing the plaintiffs argue that this level of access is unprecedented. Lee Saunders, president of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, hailed the ruling as a “major win for working people and retirees across the country.” Meanwhile, Skye Perryman, president of Democracy Forward, stated, “The court recognized the real and immediate dangers of DOGE’s reckless actions and took action to stop it.”
DOGE has obtained access to several other government databases, including those at the Treasury Department and the IRS. According to court documents, DOGE personnel began integrating into the SSA shortly after Trump's inauguration, requesting immediate access to data systems that are typically restricted, as noted by a former official. The team appeared to be investigating fraud based on misinterpretations and inaccuracies, highlighted by Tiffany Flick, the former acting chief of staff to the acting commissioner.
Judge Hollander, 75, based in Baltimore and nominated by President Barack Obama, is the latest in a series of judges to examine cases involving DOGE. The team has been implicated in nearly two dozen lawsuits. Recently, another Maryland judge ruled that DOGE's restructuring of the United States Agency for International Development was likely unconstitutional. While multiple judges have raised concerns about DOGE’s extensive cost-cutting measures, not all have deemed the risks imminent enough to impede the team's operations within government systems.
