WASHINGTON – The Trump administration has requested the Supreme Court to permit Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to gain access to the Social Security systems that contain personal data of millions of Americans. This appeal is the initial move in a series of petitions to the high court pertaining to DOGE’s fast-paced operations within the federal government.
This request follows a decision by a Maryland judge that limits the team’s access to Social Security under federal privacy laws. These systems house private records for nearly the entire U.S. population, including school records, banking details, salary information, and medical and mental health records pertinent to disability recipients, as indicated in court documents.
The government argues that this access is crucial for identifying and eliminating waste within federal systems. Musk, who is planning to reduce his involvement with DOGE, has concentrated his efforts on Social Security, citing concerns about potential fraud. He has often characterized it as a “Ponzi scheme” and believes that minimizing waste in the program is key to reducing government expenditures.
Solicitor General John Sauer insisted that the restriction imposed by the judge hinders DOGE’s crucial work and improperly intrudes on executive-branch decision-making. He stated, “Left undisturbed, this preliminary injunction will only invite further judicial incursions into internal agency decision-making.” He requested the Supreme Court to overturn U.S. District Judge Ellen Hollander’s decision in Maryland as the legal proceedings continue.
An appeals court earlier declined to immediately rescind the block on DOGE access, although the decision revealed an ideological rift. Conservative judges, who were in the minority, argued there is no proof that the team had engaged in “targeted snooping” or revealed personal data.
The lawsuit was initiated by labor unions and retirees, represented by the group Democracy Forward. In response to the administration’s appeal, the Supreme Court has asked them to reply by May 12.
There have been over two dozen lawsuits related to DOGE’s activities, which have led to significant budget cuts in federal agencies and large-scale workforce reductions.
Judge Hollander concluded that DOGE’s actions regarding Social Security amounted to a “fishing expedition” based on scant suspicions of fraud. Her ruling permits DOGE staff to access data that has been made anonymous, though the Trump administration contends that these limitations hinder the effectiveness of DOGE’s operations.
Elizabeth Laird from the nonprofit group Center for Democracy and Technology expressed concern over the potential risks associated with extensive access to sensitive personal data. “If DOGE gets a hold of this information, it opens the floodgates on a host of potential harms. It also normalizes a very dangerous practice for other federal agencies,” she stated.
The nation’s court system is a major arena for opposition to President Donald Trump’s comprehensive conservative agenda, with roughly 200 legal challenges over policies ranging from immigration, education, to federal workforce reductions.
Among those reaching the Supreme Court so far, the justices have delivered largely procedural rulings favoring the administration, but they have also dismissed the government’s broad claims in other cases.