In a significant legal development unfolding in Washington, labor unions are seeking urgent intervention from a federal court to prevent Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) from gaining access to sensitive Social Security data of millions of American citizens.
This emergency motion was submitted late Friday in a Maryland federal court by Democracy Forward, representing the unions in this legal battle against the Social Security Administration and its acting commissioner, Leland Dudek. The unions are requesting the court to halt DOGE’s access to the extensive repositories of personal data managed by the agency.
The filing includes a declaration from Tiffany Flick, a former high-ranking official at the Social Security Administration. Flick indicates that dedicated civil servants are striving to shield this data from DOGE, warning, “A disregard for our careful privacy systems and processes now threatens the security the data SSA houses about millions of Americans,” she stated in court filings.
Karianne Jones, an attorney representing the unions and a retiree group supporting the lawsuit, voiced concerns over the unclear nature of DOGE’s access intentions. “What DOGE is seeking could have vast implications,” she remarked. “Essentially, they are forcing access to millions of Americans’ private information without a clear rationale, demanding unrestricted access to everything, including source codes.”
The Social Security Administration has yet to comment on this lawsuit. Previously filed last month, it remains an evolving issue under scrutiny.
This situation adds to a history of nearly two dozen lawsuits challenging DOGE’s aggressive cost-reduction initiatives since the early days of the Trump administration. These efforts have been characterized by minimal public transparency regarding its operations and staffing, prompting judicial concerns about the potential risks. Despite these concerns, courts have not consistently agreed on whether these risks justify blocking DOGE’s access to government systems.
The broader initiatives within the Social Security Administration, including possible layoffs affecting over 10% of the workforce and the closure of numerous offices nationwide, raise significant concerns. These actions align with the Trump administration’s broader strategy to reduce federal workforce numbers.
DOGE has previously accessed databases within other government entities, such as the Treasury and IRS. The Trump administration has justified these actions as efforts to mitigate alleged waste and fraud within government operations.
In a related case, a federal judge in Washington recently decided against stopping DOGE employees from accessing Treasury databases that contain sensitive information for millions. Though U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly acknowledged privacy concerns, DOGE remains subject to limitations from a separate court order in New York.
Moreover, a February arrangement between the Office of Personnel Management and the IRS permitted a DOGE employee, Gavin Kliger, access to IRS systems, specifically excluding personal taxpayer information. This compromise highlights ongoing tensions in balancing operational efficacy with privacy protections.