A federal judge has issued a preliminary injunction blocking Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) staffers from accessing sensitive personal information of millions of Americans within the Social Security Administration (SSA). This decision stems from a lawsuit filed by a group of unions and retirees in Maryland, raising concerns about DOGE’s access to data and its potential misuse. U.S. District Judge Ellen Hollander emphasized that while addressing fraud and mismanagement within SSA is crucial, it must be done in compliance with the law.

Judge Hollander questioned the need for DOGE members to have unrestricted access to SSA’s data systems and criticized the lack of clarity in their justifications. The ruling prohibits DOGE staffers from accessing PII in Social Security databases, mandates the deletion of non-anonymized data, removal of installed software, and prohibits altering Social Security code. These restrictions do not apply to non-DOGE SSA staff or DOGE members using anonymized data with proper privacy training.

This ruling reflects ongoing concerns about DOGE’s data access practices in various federal agencies, including the Social Security Administration. Recent incidents, such as questionable claims about noncitizen voting and unauthorized data removal at the National Labor Relations Board, have raised further alarms about DOGE’s activities within the federal government. Individuals with information regarding DOGE’s data access are encouraged to contact the author for further investigation.