Judge Denies DOGE Lawyers Access To Sensitive Records

A federal judge has temporarily blocked Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) team from accessing Social Security Administration records containing personal data of millions of Americans, dealing a significant blow to the Trump administration’s government efficiency efforts.

Key Takeaways

U.S. District Judge Ellen Hollander barred DOGE from accessing Social Security records and ordered deletion of any obtained personal information.
The judge described DOGE’s actions as a “fishing expedition” for fraud without substantial evidence.
Labor unions and retirees filed an emergency request citing privacy law violations and security risks with DOGE’s “nearly unlimited” access.
The ruling allows SSA to provide only redacted or anonymized data to DOGE, contingent on proper training for agents.
This is one of nearly two dozen lawsuits challenging DOGE’s authority and activities across federal agencies.

Judge Halts DOGE’s Access to Sensitive Personal Data

U.S. District Judge Ellen Hollander issued a temporary restraining order blocking Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency team from accessing Social Security Administration systems containing personal data. The ruling also requires DOGE to delete any personally identifiable information it may have already obtained. The decision came after labor unions and retirees filed an emergency request expressing serious concerns about privacy violations and security risks posed by DOGE’s expansive access to sensitive records.

According to court documents, DOGE gained “nearly unlimited” access to SSA databases containing Social Security numbers, medical records, bank information, and earnings histories. The team, comprising approximately 10 people with seven members having read-only access to personal records, began reviewing the data shortly after Trump’s inauguration. This swift entry into the agency’s systems raised immediate alarms among privacy advocates and former SSA officials concerned about proper protocols being followed.

Judge Condemns “Fishing Expedition” for Fraud

Judge Hollander, an Obama nominee, criticized DOGE’s approach in particularly strong terms. In her ruling, she found the team’s actions resembled a haphazard search for wrongdoing without credible evidence. The court described DOGE’s methods as excessive and demanded explanations for why each agent needed access to Americans’ private information. Government attorneys defended the access as consistent with normal SSA practices, while plaintiffs’ lawyers maintained it was unprecedented in scope.

“The DOGE Team is essentially engaged in a fishing expedition at SSA, in search of a fraud epidemic, based on little more than suspicion. It has launched a search for the proverbial needle in the haystack, without any concrete knowledge that the needle is actually in the haystack,” said U.S. District Judge Ellen Hollander.

The judge further noted that DOGE’s approach was “tantamount to hitting a fly with a sledgehammer,” suggesting the team employed excessive measures in its supposed fraud-finding mission. Court documents revealed the government failed to justify DOGE’s need for such extensive access, only broadly citing its mission to combat fraud and modernize bureaucracy as justification for reviewing millions of Americans’ private records.

Privacy Concerns and Ongoing Legal Battles

Judge Hollander highlighted a striking irony in her ruling, writing, “Ironically, the identity of these DOGE affiliates has been concealed because defendants are concerned that the disclosure of even their names would expose them to harassment and thus invade their privacy. The defense does not appear to share a privacy concern for the millions of Americans whose SSA records were made available to the DOGE affiliates, without their consent.”

This case represents just one of nearly two dozen lawsuits challenging DOGE’s authority and activities across various federal agencies. While some judges have questioned the team’s cost-cutting methods, not all courts have blocked their access to government systems. The Justice Department has argued that restricting DOGE would interfere with President Trump’s policy agenda, including his goal of reducing the size of the federal government. The order does allow SSA to provide DOGE with redacted or anonymized data, provided team members receive proper training.