U.S. Judge restricts Musk’s DOGE access to social security data
Under the new guidelines, the Social Security Administration (SSA) may only provide DOGE staff with anonymised or redacted records.
A U.S. judge on Thursday issued a ruling limiting Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) from accessing sensitive personal data of American citizens, following objections from labor unions about the extensive authority held by the billionaire, who was not elected to public office.
District Judge Ellen Hollander’s directive prohibits DOGE personnel from retrieving any information that could directly identify individuals, such as social security numbers, health records, or financial details.
Under the new guidelines, the Social Security Administration (SSA) may only provide DOGE staff with records that have been anonymized or redacted.
Furthermore, only those employees who have undergone background checks and completed training on federal privacy laws and data protection policies will be permitted to access such information.
The ruling marks the most recent legal hurdle for Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in their ongoing efforts to reduce spending considered excessive or misaligned with President Donald Trump’s agenda.
This development follows reports that Social Security Administration (SSA) head Michelle King resigned in February, allegedly in protest of DOGE's attempts to obtain access to data on Social Security beneficiaries.
The lawsuit was filed by several labor unions, who claimed that the agency had "granted access to unauthorized DOGE personnel" in a manner that showed "disregard for the privacy" of millions of U.S. citizens.
The American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) welcomed the court’s decision, calling it “important.”
In a statement released Thursday, the civil servants' union said, "This ruling offers much-needed relief and plays a critical role in stopping DOGE’s illegal and reckless overreach."
The court order also requires DOGE personnel to erase any non-anonymized Social Security data they may have obtained since President Trump assumed office in January.
Moving forward, DOGE staff may only access personally identifiable Social Security information in exceptional circumstances—and only with explicit authorization from a court.