A coalition of labour unions has filed an emergency legal motion to prevent the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) from accessing millions of Americans’ Social Security data. The unions argue that the agency, overseen by Elon Musk, has not justified its need for the information and lacks sufficient oversight.
The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Maryland, challenges DOGE’s attempts to obtain personal taxpayer data from the Social Security Administration (SSA). The unions claim that DOGE’s push for unrestricted access poses a serious risk to privacy and could undermine the security of sensitive government records.
Legal Action Challenges DOGE’s Data Access
The legal challenge, filed by Democracy Forward on behalf of multiple labour unions and retiree groups, seeks to prevent DOGE from retrieving vast amounts of personal data stored by the SSA. The case is being brought against the SSA and its acting commissioner, Leland Dudek.
The motion includes testimony from Tiffany Flick, a former senior SSA official, who warns that career civil servants are actively working to protect sensitive data from DOGE’s reach. In her affidavit, Flick states: “A disregard for our careful privacy systems and processes now threatens the security the data SSA houses about millions of Americans.”
Karianne Jones, a lawyer representing the unions, expressed concern over the lack of transparency surrounding DOGE’s request.
According to her, the agency has not provided clear details on the specific data it seeks or why it requires such extensive access. “They just want everything. They want the source code, and they want to do it without any restrictions,” she said.
The SSA has not yet issued an official response to the lawsuit. However, previous legal disputes involving DOGE have raised similar concerns about the agency’s sweeping access to government databases, including those at the Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
DOGE’s Broader Access to Government Databases Under Scrutiny
DOGE, a key component of the Trump administration’s cost-cutting initiatives, has faced legal challenges over its handling of government data. The agency’s stated aim is to eliminate waste and fraud in government spending, but critics argue that its approach lacks sufficient oversight.
On Friday, a federal judge in Washington declined to block DOGE from accessing Treasury Department systems, which contain sensitive personal data for millions of individuals. However, the court did acknowledge concerns about privacy risks. Another ruling in New York has imposed some limitations on DOGE’s access to federal databases.
Meanwhile, a February agreement between the Office of Personnel Management and the IRS allowed a DOGE employee, Gavin Kliger, to access IRS systems—but not personal taxpayer information. The distinction highlights ongoing concerns about how much data DOGE is entitled to collect and what safeguards, if any, are in place.
The unions’ legal challenge comes amid broader budget cuts at the SSA, which could lead to layoffs affecting over 10% of its workforce and the closure of dozens of field offices. With DOGE seeking further access to federal systems, questions remain over the agency’s expanding role and the potential risks to public data security.
