A federal judge has stopped Elon Musk and his “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE) from accessing personal data at the Social Security Administration. The judge said the investigation into alleged fraud was based on “little more than suspicion” and described the effort as a “fishing expedition.” The judge also pointed out the irony of the Trump administration’s attempts to hide DOGE staff while giving them unrestricted access to millions of Americans’ personal information.
The judge’s ruling, issued by District Judge Ellen Lipton Hollander, blocks Musk and his team from freely accessing the personal data of millions of Americans at the Social Security Administration. Musk had criticized the Social Security system, calling it a “Ponzi scheme” and accusing it of handing out billions of dollars in retirement benefits to deceased people.
This order follows concerns raised by government lawyers about the level of access DOGE has to Social Security records. According to the government, DOGE employees can review records to look for fraud but cannot change beneficiary data or payments. However, they still have access to sensitive, personally identifiable information.
While DOGE supporters have praised the initiative to eliminate fraud and waste from federal programs, Judge Hollander questioned the methods used. She called it a “fishing expedition” for fraud, searching for a problem based on suspicion without any solid evidence that fraud is widespread. She also expressed concern about the risk of exposing private information, emphasizing that the government failed to explain why a more careful, targeted approach couldn’t be used.
The judge pointed out that while DOGE staff are trying to protect their own identities for privacy reasons, they are handling sensitive personal data of millions of Americans without consent. She noted the lack of concern for the privacy of ordinary citizens whose Social Security records are now accessible by DOGE.
Lee Saunders, president of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, called the ruling a “major win” for workers and retirees. His group had sued the administration over DOGE’s access to Social Security data. He said the decision would force DOGE to delete any data it had already accessed and prevent them from sharing or accessing any more personal information.
The DOGE team includes four special government employees and six people assigned from other agencies. These individuals are working on investigating fraud in Social Security payments, specifically looking at cases where people who have died are still receiving benefits.
Despite claims from the Trump administration and Musk that tens of millions of dead Americans are collecting Social Security checks, there is no solid evidence to support these allegations. They have used this argument to suggest cutting Social Security and other federal programs like Medicare and Medicaid in order to reduce government spending.
This court ruling adds to the ongoing debate about how best to address fraud within Social Security without compromising the privacy and security of Americans’ personal information.
