WASHINGTON — A federal judge ruled on Tuesday that billionaire Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) will not be immediately restricted from accessing government data systems or participating in workforce reductions.

U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan acknowledged the existence of valid concerns regarding Musk’s authority; however, she determined that there was insufficient evidence of significant legal harm to warrant a temporary restraining order.

This ruling stems from a lawsuit initiated by 14 Democratic states that are contesting DOGE’s ability to access sensitive government data. The attorneys general of these states contend that Musk possesses a level of power that the Constitution reserves for individuals who are either elected or confirmed by the Senate.

The previous administration under Donald Trump has asserted that any layoffs are being conducted by agency heads. They argued that, despite Musk publicly endorsing these layoffs, he is not involved in the day-to-day management of DOGE’s operations.

DOGE has been accessing the computer systems of various federal agencies with the approval of Trump, investigating budgets to identify what Musk refers to as waste, fraud, and abuse, despite facing an increasing number of lawsuits that claim DOGE is acting unlawfully.

Judge Chutkan acknowledged the apprehensions voiced by the states involved in the lawsuit, which include New Mexico and Arizona.

She stated that “DOGE’s unpredictable actions have resulted in considerable uncertainty and confusion.” Chutkan noted the legitimacy of the concerns regarding Musk’s seemingly “unchecked authority” and the absence of congressional oversight concerning DOGE. The states may indeed have a solid argument as this case progresses, she suggested.

Nonetheless, she emphasized that it remains uncertain how DOGE’s operations will specifically impact state governance, and that judicial measures can only be enacted to prevent specific and immediate harms.

Judge Chutkan, who was appointed by former Democratic President Barack Obama, previously presided over a criminal election interference case against Trump that was ultimately dismissed in Washington, D.C.

The states involved in the lawsuit are seeking to impede DOGE’s engagement with various federal entities, including the Office of Personnel Management and the departments of Education, Labor, Health and Human Services, Energy, Transportation, and Commerce.

In separate lawsuits concerning DOGE, two judges in Washington have also declined to impose immediate restrictions on DOGE’s access to governmental systems. Meanwhile, a federal judge in New York has temporarily barred DOGE from accessing data from the Treasury Department.