A federal judge has ruled that the Social Security Administration (SSA) likely violated federal privacy laws by allowing Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) access to the personal data of millions of Americans. In a significant rebuke, U.S. District Judge Ellen Lipton Hollander issued an order halting all data-sharing between the SSA and DOGE, stating that the government’s actions intruded “into the personal affairs of millions of Americans” under the pretext of combating fraud and waste.
The SSA’s acting head, Leland Dudek, raised alarm over the sweeping implications of the court order. In a statement, Dudek said the decision could inadvertently disrupt internal operations at the SSA, as many of his staff—including anti-fraud and IT personnel—were classified as DOGE affiliates under the administration’s structure. “As it stands,” he warned, “I will follow it exactly and terminate access by all SSA employees to our IT systems,” while indicating that he would seek clarification from the court.
The ruling marks the latest legal blow to DOGE, an agency created under the Trump administration to streamline federal operations and eliminate inefficiencies. Since its inception, DOGE has faced intense scrutiny for its expansive reach into multiple departments and its controversial use of executive authority to access sensitive government systems and personnel files.
Civil liberties groups have hailed the court’s decision as a major win for data privacy, emphasizing that unchecked access to federal databases poses grave risks to individual rights. Critics argue that DOGE’s operations, particularly its unfettered access to personal information, undermine the protections enshrined in the Privacy Act of 1974. Legal experts note that this case could set a key precedent regarding executive overreach and the limits of data-sharing across federal agencies.
While the SSA has pledged to comply with the judge’s order, the White House has expressed frustration with the decision, characterizing it as an obstacle to administrative reform. As the legal battle over DOGE’s authority continues, the case underscores the growing tension between efforts to increase governmental efficiency and the fundamental need to safeguard citizens’ personal information.
