Court Halts Musk’s DOGE from Accessing Sensitive Social Security Data

Baltimore, MD — In a critical legal development, a federal court has issued a preliminary injunction that prevents Elon Musk's "Department of Government Efficiency" (DOGE) from accessing sensitive information within the Social Security Administration's (SSA) databases. This action comes in response to concerns raised by the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), AFL-CIO; the American Federation of Teachers (AFT); and the Alliance for Retired Americans, with legal representation from Democracy Forward.

With this ruling, the court has effectively paused DOGE's controversial access to private Social Security data, which includes a range of personal details from immigration records to health and financial information. This decision is a significant safeguard against potential privacy violations that the plaintiffs argued would result in irreparable damage.

"This decision sends a clear message to Elon Musk and his DOGE minions to keep their hands off Social Security,” stated AFSCME President Lee Saunders. Highlighting the threat posed by the DOGE initiative, he added that this movement disrupts the Social Security Administration and harms vulnerable individuals by cutting services and ignoring court mandates.

In a similar vein, AFT President Randi Weingarten commented, “This is an important ruling that upholds our grave concern that millions of Americans have had their private information and retirement security violated by Elon Musk’s illegal actions.” The ruling, she emphasized, underscores the necessity of protecting the basic trust Americans have in their retirement systems.

Adding to the chorus, Richard Fiesta, Executive Director of the Alliance for Retired Americans, said, "Older Americans can breathe easier knowing that Elon Musk and his DOGE team have been clearly ordered to stay away from their most personal financial and health information.”

From the perspective of Skye Perryman, President and CEO of Democracy Forward, this injunction serves as a crucial warning that legal bypasses to access government data systems will not be tolerated.

The preliminary injunction mandates that DOGE personnel refrain from accessing SSA data until they meet specific legal requirements. This is part of a broader lawsuit where plaintiffs argue that such access contravenes the Privacy Act, the Social Security Act, the Internal Revenue Code, and the Administrative Procedure Act.

This legal move follows an earlier court order directing DOGE to eliminate all personal data obtained and highlighting privacy concerns from DOGE affiliates. Yet, DOGE's practices appear to disregard the privacy of millions whose SSA records were accessed without their consent.

For further information, you can review the entire complaint, the motion for temporary restraining order, the motion for preliminary injunction, and the judge’s ruling.