A federal judge in Maryland has issued a temporary order preventing Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) from accessing Social Security Administration (SSA) databases, which contain personal information on millions of Americans.
The ruling by U.S. District Judge Ellen Hollander also mandates that DOGE delete any personally identifiable information it may have obtained. The decision follows a legal challenge from labor unions and retirees, who sought an emergency order restricting DOGE’s access due to privacy and security concerns.
Opponents of DOGE argue that the department’s extensive access to SSA records poses a major privacy risk. They claim that DOGE’s mission to identify government fraud has led to overreach and potential data breaches. A former SSA official who witnessed DOGE’s presence at the agency expressed serious concerns about sensitive data being compromised.
Judge Hollander supported these concerns, stating in her ruling that the DOGE team appeared to be conducting a “fishing expedition” in search of fraud, without sufficient evidence to justify their broad access to personal records.
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The Trump administration has defended DOGE, asserting that the team consists of ten federal employees, seven of whom have been granted read-only access to SSA systems and personal data. Officials argue that DOGE is focused on eliminating fraud and inefficiencies in government programs and that its access to SSA data is in line with standard investigative procedures.
However, attorneys representing the plaintiffs argue that DOGE’s level of access is unprecedented and exceeds what is typically permitted for fraud investigations. They contend that allowing a small team of outside investigators nearly unrestricted access to such sensitive information is both reckless and legally questionable.
DOGE investigative reach is not limited to the Social Security Administration. The team has reportedly accessed data from other government agencies, including the U.S. Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
According to court filings, DOGE staff arrived at the SSA just days after Trump’s inauguration and pushed for immediate access to restricted data systems. A former SSA official stated that the team pressured software engineers to bypass standard security protocols to expedite their investigation.
Tiffany Flick, the former acting chief of staff to the SSA commissioner, stated in legal documents that DOGE’s fraud investigations appeared to be based on misinformation rather than concrete evidence.
Judge Hollander’s ruling is one of several legal challenges against DOGE. The department has been the subject of nearly two dozen lawsuits, many of which have raised concerns about its secrecy and aggressive data-gathering tactics.
While multiple judges have questioned DOGE’s cost-cutting measures, rulings have varied on whether the department’s actions warrant immediate intervention. The debate continues over the balance between government oversight and individual privacy rights, with future legal battles expected.
For now, DOGE’s access to SSA data has been halted, marking a temporary victory for privacy advocates and those concerned about government overreach.