A federal judge revoked a preliminary injunction on Saturday, preventing ‘s department of government efficiency ( DOGE ) from accessing sensitive treasury department records, including 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 presidency. Judge Engelmayer even mandated that anyone who had access to the information since January 20 to eliminate any files as soon as possible.
The scheduled date for the next reading is February 14.
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 millions, 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 unauthorised exposure to the millions of Americans who rely on illegal wall payments.
James alleged that Trump poorly authorised access to provincial money and personal information and that the president had the authority to disclose American ‘ private information to everyone he wanted and to cut federal obligations that had been approved by Congress.
The lawsuit, backed by attorneys general from California, Illinois, Connecticut, and other state, 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 Scott Bessent, the director of Treasury, modified long-standing rules to give access to Musk’s group.
The incident, according to Connecticut attorney general William Tong, was” the largest information breach in American story.”
” DOGE is a group of renegade tech bro who have been trawling through sensitive financial systems, confidential records, and sensitive data.” What could go incorrect”?, Tong added.
The Treasury Department, however, claims that the evaluation is merely a review of the state’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 analysis into DOGE’s exposure in addition to the national complaint. 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 selected employees with “read-only” privileges.