A federal judge in Washington has decided not to prevent employees from Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) from accessing the Treasury’s systems that hold personal information for millions of Americans. While she recognized the privacy issues surrounding their work, she ultimately allowed access to continue.
U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly previously limited DOGE’s involvement with the Treasury to just two employees who could only view data without making changes. This decision was made with cooperation from the Trump administration. One of those employees later left after a controversy surrounding his social media posts, but Musk indicated he would be welcomed back.
In her latest ruling, Judge Kollar-Kotelly addressed the concerns raised by retirees and union leaders who worry that DOGE’s activities could risk exposing sensitive information. Although she acknowledged their worries as valid, she stated that the plaintiffs had not demonstrated any immediate danger that would warrant an injunction to stop DOGE’s work.
She pointed out that simply claiming an increased risk of data breaches or the public disclosure of private information is not enough to justify blocking their access at this stage. However, she did leave the option open for the plaintiffs to return to court if they present evidence suggesting a real and immediate risk of improper information sharing.
In a separate case, a different federal judge in Manhattan recently prohibited DOGE from accessing Treasury systems, following a lawsuit lodged by 19 Democratic attorneys general. This situation highlights the ongoing tension around data privacy and government efficiency, with various jurisdictions taking contrasting stances on the issue.
