Court temporarily restricts DOGE's access to Social Security systems
The court order mandates deleting personal data and allowing access to information under certain conditions.
DOGE leader Elon Musk at the White House.
A federal court issued a temporary order to restrict the Department of Government Efficiency's (DOGE) access to Social Security Administration (SSA) systems in the context of litigation over the handling of government information.
Court order and removal of data
Federal Judge Ellen Hollander of Maryland ordered Thursday that DOGE stop accessing SSA systems and delete any personally identifiable data it obtained. The decision comes in response to a request filed by unions and retiree associations, who argued that this access posed a risk to citizens' privacy. However, the order allows DOGE personnel to access redacted or de-identified information, provided they comply with training and background checks.
DOGE's functions and the government's position
The Trump administration has defended DOGE's work, noting that its goal is to identify fraud and reduce waste in the federal government. According to the government, the team is comprised of 10 federal employees within SSA, seven of whom only have read-only clearances on agency systems.
Government attorneys argued that this access is not unusual, as authorized SSA personnel regularly query the databases as part of their duties. However, the plaintiffs argue that DOGE's participation is exceptional and should be limited.
Research and legal disputes
The DOGE team has been involved in multiple litigations regarding its operations, and several judges have assessed its scope. While some decisions have called into question their methods, there has been no judicial consensus on whether its actions constitute an imminent risk to the security of government information.
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