A federal judge is deciding whether to temporarily block Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) from accessing sensitive Social Security Administration (SSA) data that affects millions of Americans.
A group of labor unions and retirees have filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, asking the court to issue an emergency order to limit DOGE’s access to SSA data.
They argue that DOGE’s “nearly unlimited” access violates privacy laws and creates serious security risks.
A former SSA official, who witnessed the DOGE team’s sudden arrival at the agency, expressed concern about the potential exposure of sensitive information.
The Trump administration claims that DOGE is focused on reducing waste and fraud within the federal government.
During a Friday hearing in federal court in Baltimore, U.S. District Judge Ellen Hollander repeatedly pressed government attorneys to explain why DOGE needed access to such a large volume of personal information, including health records for disability applicants.
She questioned whether a more targeted approach could address fraud without compromising so much sensitive data.
“This is like hitting a fly with a sledgehammer,” Hollander remarked, calling DOGE’s actions “extremely worrisome and surprising.”
She said she was struggling to understand the justification for such broad access.
The Trump administration stated that DOGE has a 10-person team at the SSA, with seven members holding read-only access to sensitive data.
Government lawyers said the team members have received privacy training, and eight have passed background checks.
They argued that DOGE’s access is consistent with standard agency practices, where employees and auditors routinely review database information.
However, the plaintiffs’ attorneys disagreed, calling the situation “a sea change” in how SSA protects personal data.
Alethea Anne Swift from Democracy Forward, the legal group behind the lawsuit, said DOGE’s level of access is unprecedented.
Outside the courthouse, union workers and retirees held a rally in support of the plaintiffs. Ronnie Bailey, a 75-year-old retired Maryland corrections officer and Vietnam veteran, said, “We want Elon Musk and the DOGE group to take their hands off Social Security. Social Security is not waste.”
Agnes Watkins, a retired nurse, expressed concern about her private information being accessed, saying, “It doesn’t feel secure.”
Protesters carried signs demanding protection of Social Security benefits and chanted slogans like “Down with DOGE.”
DOGE has also accessed data from other government agencies, including the Treasury and IRS. At the SSA, DOGE staff reportedly rushed to gain access to data systems shortly after Trump’s inauguration.
A former official, Tiffany Flick, who served as acting chief of staff to the acting commissioner, said the team seemed focused on uncovering fraud based on inaccuracies and misunderstandings.
“I am deeply concerned about DOGE’s access to SSA systems and the potential for inappropriate disclosure of information,” Flick stated, adding that the onboarding process felt rushed.
Judge Hollander, appointed by President Barack Obama, is the latest judge to handle a DOGE-related case. DOGE has faced nearly two dozen lawsuits, with several judges raising concerns about the team’s broad cost-cutting efforts.
However, courts have not consistently agreed that the risks are serious enough to justify blocking DOGE’s access to government data.
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