According to the news agency AP, a federal judge on Saturday revoked ‘s department of government efficiency’s ( DOGE ) preliminary injunction from allowing the government to access the social security and bank account numbers of millions of Americans, according to the news agency AP.
US district judge Paul A Engelmayer, appointed by Barack Obama, ruled that DOGE’s access to the bank’s key repayment program violates federal law.
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The program manages trillions of dollars in national payments, including duty reimbursements, social security benefits, and veterans ‘ benefits.
The decision comes in response to a lawsuit brought by 19 Democratic attorneys general against Donald Trump, alleging that Musk’s team was unjustly given access to sensitive financial data by his administration. Judge Engelmayer even mandated that anyone who had access to the information since January 20 to eliminate any files as soon as possible.
February 14 is the scheduled date for the next hear.
Expand, created under Trump’s presidency, was tasked with eliminating “wasteful” state paying but has drawn scrutiny over its broad powers and Musk’s effect.
Despite Musk and supporters asserting that it is saving taxpayers thousands, AP reports that critics warn that its exposure to Treasury information could be used to fraudulently freeze federal payments.
On X, Musk had dismissed problems, calling condemnation of DOGE overblown. However, New York attorney general Letitia James, who led the petition, warned of security threats and was quoted by AP saying,” This appointed group, led by the world’s richest man, is not authorized to have this information. They made a clear request for this unauthorized access to the illegal prevent bills that millions of Americans rely on.
James alleged that Trump incorrectly authorised access to personal data and federal resources. He alleged that the president had the authority to refuse to give away Americans ‘ private information to anyone he wanted, and that he had no authority to halt federal obligations that had been approved by Congress.
The lawsuit, backed by attorneys general from California, Illinois, Connecticut, and other states, argues that DOGE’s access to government data violates national operational rules and the US Constitution’s separation of powers theory. Additionally, it claims that Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent modified long-standing guidelines to make it possible for Musk’s team to have access.
The incident, according to Connecticut attorney general William Tong, was” the largest data breach in American history.”
” DOGE is an unlawfully constituted band of renegade tech bros sifting through sensitive data, payment systems, and confidential records. What could go wrong”?, Tong added.
The Treasury Department, however, claims that the review is merely a review of the system’s integrity and rejects any subsequent policy changes.
However, sources with knowledge of the procedure disclosed to The Associated Press that Trump and Musk’s team first looked into ways to halt US Agency for International Development ( USAID ) payments.
Democrats have urged a Treasury Department investigation into DOGE’s access in addition to the federal lawsuit. Separately, labour unions and advocacy groups have filed lawsuits to halt DOGE’s payment system review, leading a judge in Washington, DC, to temporarily restrict access to certain employees with “read-only” privileges.