AFSCME and AFT file injunction to block DOGE's access to SSA data

Legal Effort Intensifies to Safeguard Social Security Data from Unauthorized Access

Baltimore, MD — A coalition of organizations, including the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), and the Alliance for Retired Americans (ARA), has taken a significant step in their legal battle to protect sensitive data managed by the Social Security Administration (SSA). They have filed a motion for a preliminary injunction aimed at halting the alleged unauthorized data access by Elon Musk's "Department of Government Efficiency" (DOGE).

This legal motion follows a lawsuit and an emergency temporary restraining order filed the previous month. On March 20, a federal court ordered DOGE to return or destroy all accessed private Social Security data, underscoring the essential need to prevent further unauthorized access to safeguard American citizens.

Newly uncovered information highlights the pressing need to protect retirees, teachers, and millions of individuals who depend on the SSA for secure handling of their personal and financial information. The plaintiffs argue that DOGE's activities breach several federal statutes, including the Privacy Act and the Social Security Act, and seek to block DOGE personnel from accessing critical SSA systems.

AFSCME President Lee Saunders emphasized the urgency: “Today, we take another step forward in our case to block Elon Musk’s DOGE from accessing Social Security Administration data... Working people and retirees deserve assurance that their sensitive information remains safe.”

Randi Weingarten, President of AFT, expressed concern over potential data exploitation, stating, “Absent immediate relief, working families are at risk of having their private information stolen and exploited, all because an unelected billionaire has decided to raid this sensitive data for his own ends.”

Richard Fiesta, executive director of the ARA, echoed the concerns of older Americans regarding data security, while Anne Swift, Senior Counsel at Democracy Forward, stressed the broader implications of DOGE's actions on beneficiary trust and the accessibility of vital benefits.

For further details, explore the lawsuit here, the motion for a temporary restraining order here, and the preliminary injunction motion here.