Federal Judge Halts DOGE’s Access To SSA Records

Federal Judge Ellen Hollander has temporarily blocked Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) team from accessing sensitive personal records held by the Social Security Administration, ordering the deletion of any data already obtained.

Key Takeaways

A federal judge has temporarily blocked Elon Musk’s DOGE team from accessing Social Security Administration systems containing personal data on millions of Americans.
The ruling requires DOGE to delete any personally identifiable information already obtained and restricts further data sharing.
Judge Hollander criticized DOGE’s data collection as a “fishing expedition” based on suspicion rather than evidence.
Labor unions and advocacy groups successfully argued that DOGE’s access violated privacy laws and posed information security risks.
The SSA’s former acting head Michelle King resigned over disagreements about DOGE’s data access requests.

Judge Halts DOGE’s Access to Americans’ Personal Information

U.S. District Judge Ellen Hollander in Maryland issued a temporary restraining order blocking Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency from accessing Social Security Administration databases containing sensitive personal information of millions of Americans. The decision comes after labor unions and retiree advocacy groups requested emergency action, arguing that DOGE’s unprecedented access to confidential data violates federal privacy laws and creates serious information security concerns. The judge’s ruling requires DOGE to immediately delete any personally identifiable information it may have already obtained from SSA systems.

Judge Hollander’s decision represents a significant setback for the DOGE team, which was established by President Trump to identify waste and inefficiency in government operations. DOGE, consisting of just 10 people led by Musk, had been granted read-only access to Social Security systems shortly after Trump’s inauguration. The team has also accessed other government databases, including those at the Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service, as part of its mission to identify fraud and waste in federal programs.

Judge BLOCKS DOGE from getting Social Security records

Federal judge says 'DOGE Team essentially engaged in a fishing expedition at SSA'

New restraining order is temporary pic.twitter.com/3dfrbykoZ3

— RT (@RT_com) March 20, 2025

Judge Criticizes DOGE’s Approach as Overreaching

In her ruling, Judge Hollander sharply criticized the administration’s justification for such broad access to personal data. The judge described DOGE’s efforts as lacking proper authorization and exceeding reasonable boundaries. The court decision specifically prevents DOGE from accessing the Numident system and other SSA databases containing Social Security numbers, medical records, financial data, and other highly sensitive personal information. Government attorneys had argued that DOGE’s access was consistent with normal agency practices, but the judge rejected this claim.

“The DOGE Team is essentially engaged in a fishing expedition at SSA, in search of a fraud epidemic, based on little more than suspicion,” U.S. District Judge Ellen Hollander said.

Labor union leaders quickly praised the court’s decision as a victory for privacy rights. The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) had been among the organizations filing suit against DOGE’s access to SSA records. The court’s ruling found that the unions were likely to succeed in their claims that DOGE’s activities violated the Privacy Act, which restricts how federal agencies can share citizens’ personal information without proper authorization and safeguards.

White House Response and SSA Leadership Changes

The White House criticized the ruling, with spokesperson Harrison Fields calling it the work of “another activist judge abusing the judicial system to try and sabotage the President’s attempts to rid the government of waste, fraud, and abuse.” The administration has maintained that DOGE’s efforts are essential to fulfilling President Trump’s promises to eliminate government inefficiency and mismanagement. This case is just one of nearly two dozen lawsuits filed against the DOGE team since its formation.

“This is a major win for working people and retirees across the country. The court saw that Elon Musk and his unqualified lackeys present a grave danger to Social Security and have illegally accessed the data of millions of Americans,” AFSCME President Lee Saunders said.

The controversy has already led to leadership changes at the Social Security Administration. Former acting SSA head Michelle King resigned over DOGE’s database access efforts and was replaced by Leland Dudek, who reportedly supports DOGE’s mission. The case has revealed significant tensions between career government officials concerned about privacy protections and the administration’s efficiency initiatives.