WASHINGTON — A federal judge has decided not to immediately prevent Elon Musk’s team from entering systems at the Labor Department, which has been scrutinizing businesses connected to the billionaire who has served as an adviser to former President Donald Trump.
U.S. District Judge John Bates expressed reservations about Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), yet indicated that the labor unions that sought to block access had not sufficiently demonstrated any legal harm. Bates remarked, “Although the court harbors concerns about defendants’ alleged conduct, it must deny plaintiffs’ motion at this time.”
This ruling comes after the Trump administration had earlier conceded that DOGE would not have clearance to access Labor Department systems until Bates made a decision, as he is a judge appointed by Republican President George W. Bush. The labor unions’ lawsuit aims to keep DOGE employees out of these sensitive Labor Department systems, which house medical and financial records for millions, including individuals who have lodged safety complaints against their employers.
The Labor Department’s records also include details of investigations concerning Musk’s ventures like SpaceX and Tesla, alongside vital information regarding competitors’ trade secrets, according to the unions’ legal filings. The Justice Department noted that three DOGE staff members are assigned to the Labor Department, under the supervision of its acting secretary, emphasizing that these individuals are now special government employees obligated to adhere to relevant laws regarding sensitive corporate and worker data while executing their cost-cutting efforts.
This legal action emerges as Musk, recognized as the world’s wealthiest individual, consolidates power over extensive segments of the federal government, with support from Trump. Musk’s DOGE has managed to penetrate critical Treasury Department payment systems, significantly changed operations within the U.S. Agency for International Development, and has presented financial incentives for substantial numbers of federal employees to resign.
Lawyers for the unions, represented by the advocacy organization Democracy Forward, assert that, “At every step, DOGE is violating multiple laws, from constitutional limits on executive power to statutes safeguarding civil servants from arbitrary threats and adverse actions, to essential protections for government data collected and stored on hundreds of millions of Americans.”
The Labor Department is responsible for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), which has conducted investigations and imposed fines on SpaceX and Tesla regarding worker safety issues, according to statements made by the unions in court documents. In recent communications, Labor Department leadership informed a union member that Musk and his team would be visiting and advised workers to comply with their requests without objection or inquiry.
The Justice Department countered by stating that there is no evidence of misconduct and argued against the judge issuing “a sweeping, prophylactic order … based on plaintiffs’ rank speculation that the Department of Labor will violate the law.”
A different judge had previously temporarily limited DOGE’s access to Treasury Department systems that are responsible for managing trillions of dollars in annual payments, restricting entry to only two employees with “read-only” capabilities. Following this, one individual, Marko Elez, resigned due to allegations of racism connected to social media activity, although Musk has announced plans to reinstate him.
Additionally, thirteen states have also filed lawsuits regarding DOGE’s access to federal payment systems, underscoring ongoing concerns about the implications of such access.
