On Thursday, April 18, a U.S. judge issued a ruling to restrict access to Americans’ Social Security data for Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) after unions voiced concerns about the billionaire’s extensive authority. The decision by District Judge Ellen Hollander bars DOGE personnel from accessing personal information, such as Social Security numbers, medical histories, or bank records, that could identify individuals.
Per the court’s order, the Social Security Administration (SSA) may only share redacted or anonymized records with DOGE employees who have passed background checks and completed training on federal privacy laws and regulations.
This ruling marks the latest legal obstacle to Musk and DOGE’s initiatives to cut government expenditure, which critics have deemed wasteful or inconsistent with President Donald Trump’s policies. It comes in the wake of reports that Michelle King, the SSA chief, stepped down in February due to DOGE’s demands for access to Social Security recipient data.
The lawsuit was filed by several unions, including the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), who contended that the SSA had permitted unauthorized DOGE personnel to access sensitive information, violating the privacy of millions of Americans. AFSCME lauded the ruling, describing it as “important” and expressing relief that the court had stepped in to stop what they called DOGE’s “unlawful and dangerous overreach.”
As stipulated in the ruling, DOGE staff must delete any non-anonymized Social Security data they may have acquired since Trump took office in January. Additionally, DOGE will only be permitted to access personal Social Security data in specific instances, and only with court authorization. The justification for accessing such data must be more substantial than merely aiming to “search for fraud or waste.”
Under Musk’s leadership, DOGE has faced criticism over its ambiguous legal standing and concerns about conflicts of interest and its lack of public accountability as an unelected entity seeking to enact major government reforms.
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