A federal judge has temporarily blocked the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) from accessing data at the Social Security Administration (SSA).
On Thursday, U.S. District Judge Ellen Hollander criticized DOGE’s efforts, calling it a “fishing expedition” based on little more than suspicion.
“DOGE is essentially searching for a fraud epidemic at SSA without any concrete evidence,” Hollander stated in a 137-page order obtained by the Daily Beast.
The judge emphasized that suspicion alone is not enough to justify giving Musk’s team full access to the private data of millions of Americans.
“They are searching for a needle in a haystack without even knowing if the needle exists,” Hollander wrote.
DOGE and the White House argued that accessing SSA records is necessary to uncover fraud and waste. However, Hollander noted that DOGE’s lawyers failed to provide any clear reason why such access was necessary.
The SSA’s records include sensitive information like social security numbers, medical records, and banking details.
“The government keeps insisting on the need to modernize the system and uncover fraud,” Hollander wrote. “But their approach is like using a sledgehammer to kill a fly.”
Hollander’s ruling bars DOGE from accessing SSA data for now, marking a win for labor unions and retirees who sought to limit DOGE’s reach.
The order also requires DOGE’s team of 10 at the SSA to delete any personal data they have already obtained.
Musk, who has frequently criticized federal judges for checking the president’s power, has not yet responded to the ruling.
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