A coalition of labor unions has filed an emergency request in federal court to prevent Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency from obtaining access to sensitive Social Security data belonging to millions of Americans.
The legal motion, submitted late Friday in Maryland’s federal court by Democracy Forward on behalf of the unions, seeks to halt DOGE’s reach into the Social Security Administration (SSA) databases. The filing also names SSA’s acting commissioner, Leland Dudek, as a respondent in the case.
Concerns Over Privacy and Data Security
Central to the lawsuit is an affidavit from former SSA senior official Tiffany Flick, who warned that career civil servants at the agency are resisting DOGE’s efforts due to privacy concerns.
“A disregard for our careful privacy systems and processes now threatens the security of the data SSA houses about millions of Americans,” Flick stated in court documents.
Karianne Jones, an attorney representing the unions and a retiree group involved in the lawsuit, emphasized the secrecy surrounding DOGE’s request.
“Essentially, what you have is DOGE swooping in and bullying their way into access to millions of Americans’ private data,” Jones told AP News. “They cannot explain why they want this data. They can’t really tell you what data they want. They just want everything. They want the source code, and they want to do it without any restrictions.”
The Social Security Administration has not yet responded to requests for comment on the lawsuit, which was originally filed last month.
DOGE’s Controversial Government Access
DOGE’s aggressive cost-cutting and data-access efforts have sparked legal challenges across multiple government agencies, including the Treasury Department and the IRS. Since its formation in the early days of the Trump administration, the department has faced nearly two dozen lawsuits, with judges frequently raising concerns about the extent of its authority.
However, courts have been divided on whether DOGE’s actions pose an imminent enough threat to justify blocking its access to government systems.
In a separate case on Friday, a federal judge in Washington declined to prevent DOGE employees from accessing Treasury databases containing sensitive financial information, though the court did acknowledge concerns over privacy risks. Meanwhile, a separate court order in New York continues to place limits on DOGE’s data access.
Potential Impact on Social Security Recipients
The controversy over DOGE’s involvement with the SSA comes as the agency faces deep budget cuts under the Trump administration’s broader push to downsize the federal workforce. Proposed changes include:
- Layoffs affecting more than 10% of SSA employees
- Closure of dozens of field offices nationwide
- Potential disruptions to benefits for millions of Social Security recipients
DOGE has defended its actions as part of an effort to eliminate waste and fraud in government programs. However, critics argue that its methods lack transparency and could jeopardize essential services for Americans.
With legal challenges mounting, the battle over DOGE’s access to sensitive government databases is far from over. The federal court’s decision in Maryland could have significant implications for the future of data privacy and government oversight.
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