Judge Calls DOGE’s SSA Data Inquiry A ‘Fishing Expedition’

Man in black suit smiling, hand on chin.

A federal judge dealt a blow to Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency, temporarily blocking access to millions of Americans’ sensitive Social Security data and condemning the team’s approach as a mere “fishing expedition.”

Quick Takes

U.S. District Judge Ellen Hollander issued a temporary restraining order blocking DOGE from accessing Social Security Administration systems containing personal data on millions of Americans.
The judge ordered DOGE to delete any personally identifiable data they collected, describing their actions as a “fishing expedition” based on suspicion rather than evidence.
Labor unions and retirees successfully argued that DOGE’s access violated privacy laws and created information security risks.
The 10-person DOGE team was granted read-only access to Social Security systems shortly after Trump’s inauguration as part of efforts to target waste and fraud.
The ruling comes amid broader concerns about the Trump administration’s handling of sensitive government databases.

Court Halts DOGE’s Social Security Data Access

U.S. District Judge Ellen Hollander in Maryland issued a temporary restraining order blocking Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) team from accessing sensitive personal data stored in Social Security Administration systems. The order requires DOGE to immediately delete any personally identifiable information they may have already collected. This legal action came in response to emergency requests from labor unions and retiree advocacy groups who raised alarms about potential privacy law violations and information security risks associated with the team’s unprecedented access to sensitive records.

The judge was particularly critical of DOGE’s approach, stating that the team seemed to be conducting an unjustified search for problems without proper evidence. The 10-person DOGE team, established by President Trump and led by Elon Musk, had been granted read-only access to Social Security systems as part of their mandate to identify waste and fraud in federal government operations. However, Judge Hollander found that the unions challenging this access were likely to succeed in their claims that such access violated the Privacy Act.

Judge BLOCKS DOGE from getting Social Security records

Federal judge says 'DOGE Team essentially engaged in a fishing expedition at SSA'

New restraining order is temporary pic.twitter.com/3dfrbykoZ3

— RT (@RT_com) March 20, 2025

Privacy Concerns Take Center Stage

The court’s decision highlighted significant privacy concerns regarding the access granted to DOGE members. The SSA databases contain highly sensitive information including Social Security numbers, medical records, financial data, and other personal details of millions of Americans. Government lawyers argued that the risk of improper data disclosure was merely speculative and that no evidence of identity theft or political retaliation had been presented. However, Judge Hollander rejected these arguments, emphasizing the government’s apparent lack of concern for Americans whose records were accessed without consent.

“The DOGE Team is essentially engaged in a fishing expedition at SSA, in search of a fraud epidemic, based on little more than suspicion,” U.S. District Judge Ellen Hollander said.

The case revealed the extensive access given to DOGE staffers in sensitive SSA databases, including the Numident system which contains comprehensive personal information. Court documents showed that DOGE began accessing Social Security data shortly after Trump’s inauguration, seeking quick access to restricted data systems. Former SSA officials expressed concerns about DOGE’s search for fraud, suggesting it was based on inaccuracies and fundamental misunderstandings of how the agency’s programs operate.

Political Fallout and Administrative Changes

The White House criticized the ruling as an obstruction of efforts to eliminate government waste and fraud. Harrison Fields, a spokesperson for the administration, characterized the decision as coming from “yet another activist judge abusing the judicial system to try and sabotage the President’s attempts to rid the government of waste, fraud, and abuse.” The case has become one of nearly two dozen lawsuits filed against DOGE, reflecting broader tensions about the team’s methods and objectives.

“This is a major win for working people and retirees across the country. The court saw that Elon Musk and his unqualified lackeys present a grave danger to Social Security and have illegally accessed the data of millions of Americans,” AFSCME President Lee Saunders said.

The controversy has already led to administrative changes within the SSA. Former acting head Michelle King resigned over DOGE’s database access efforts and was replaced by Leland Dudek, who reportedly supports DOGE’s mission. Judge Hollander acknowledged the importance of combating fraud and waste but emphasized legal boundaries must be respected. “To be sure, rooting out possible fraud, waste, and mismanagement in the SSA is in the public interest,” she wrote. “But, that does not mean that the government can flout the law to do so.”