Thu Mar 20 23:10:00 UTC 2025: ## Judge Halts Musk’s Team’s Access to Social Security Data in “Fishing Expedition”

**WASHINGTON, March 21, 2025** – A federal judge has temporarily blocked Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) from accessing sensitive personal data held by the Social Security Administration (SSA), calling their actions a “fishing expedition.” U.S. District Judge Ellen Hollander issued the order following a lawsuit filed by labor unions, retirees, and the advocacy group Democracy Forward, who argued that DOGE’s broad access violated privacy laws and posed significant security risks.

The judge found that DOGE, tasked by the Trump administration with identifying waste in the federal government, gained access to sensitive information with minimal justification, searching for evidence of widespread fraud based largely on suspicion. The order mandates the deletion of any personally identifiable information already obtained by the team. Limited access will be permitted only after DOGE staffers undergo training and background checks and only to redacted data.

DOGE, whose efforts have also extended to other government agencies including the Treasury Department and IRS, had deployed a 10-person team to the SSA. Court documents reveal that the team, arriving shortly after the Trump inauguration, aggressively sought access to restricted data systems, prompting concerns from a former SSA official, Tiffany Flick, who described their search for fraud as based on inaccuracies and misunderstandings.

The ruling has been celebrated by labor groups. Lee Saunders, president of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, hailed it as a “major win for working people and retirees,” while Skye Perryman of Democracy Forward emphasized the court’s recognition of the dangers posed by DOGE’s actions. The White House has yet to comment on the decision. Musk has previously referred to Social Security as a “ponzi scheme,” highlighting his focus on the program as a means to cut government spending.

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