Unions Request Urgent Court Intervention to Prevent DOGE from Accessing Social Security Information

March 8, 2025 TruthUSA

A group of unions is pursuing emergency legal action to stop the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) from gaining access to Social Security data, raising issues of privacy violations and security risks.

A coalition consisting of labor unions and advocates for retirees has submitted an urgent motion in federal court aimed at preventing DOGE from tapping into the extensive sensitive personal information managed by the Social Security Administration (SSA).

The motion, lodged on March 7 with the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland, contends that DOGE’s involvement with SSA breaches several federal privacy regulations, thereby endangering millions of Americans to threats like identity theft, financial fraud, and unlawful data exploitation.

The plaintiffs, which include the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), the Alliance for Retired Americans, and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), claim DOGE has illegitimately been given broad access to SSA’s data systems, disregarding established privacy protections.

“Members of the plaintiffs and the broader public—including seniors, children who have lost parents, and individuals with disabilities—provide this information to the SSA with the understanding that, should it fall into the wrong hands, it could facilitate financial crimes (like identity theft) or target individuals, including government dissenters,” the motion asserts.

The plaintiffs emphasize that Americans have long trusted the SSA to protect their sensitive personal data, a trust rooted in decades of stringent privacy regulations and adherence to federal statutes designed to guard against misuse.

However, they argue that this trust has been compromised under DOGE, which they claim “tramples over agencies throughout the Executive Branch.” They further allege it “pursues, acquires, and mismanages the personal information of millions of Americans, with no regard for the numerous laws established by Congress to safeguard against such abuses,” they state.

As detailed in an amended complaint submitted on March 7, it is alleged that DOGE staff have been integrated into SSA operations since late January, obtaining access to Social Security numbers, financial records, employment histories, and medical documents concerning millions of Americans. The plaintiffs assert that DOGE employees—operating without the necessary authorization, training, or background checks—have bypassed SSA’s well-established privacy measures, potentially putting sensitive personal data at risk.

The Social Security Administration has not yet provided a comment on the matter.

Through DOGE, the Trump administration is aiming to trim federal expenditures and reorganize government bodies to heighten efficiency and reduce taxpayer expenses.

Trump has supported DOGE’s initiatives, stating during a congressional session on March 4 that the agency has uncovered “outrageous waste” and “hundreds of billions of dollars in fraud,” describing this as merely the beginning.

Opponents, however, contend that these initiatives have eroded essential government protections rather than achieving cost savings. They raise alarms over the unclear role of DOGE and its lack of adequate oversight, which poses security threats.

“Time is of utmost importance,” expressed Richard Fiesta, executive director of the Alliance for Retired Americans and one of the lawsuit’s plaintiffs. “Each day that the DOGE team is allowed access to our personal and financial information heightens the risk of it being misappropriated or the integrity of the data being compromised.”

This SSA-related lawsuit represents the latest in a series of legal challenges against DOGE’s operations. Recent rulings by federal judges in Washington, D.C., and New York on similar cases have yielded mixed results. While some courts have acknowledged privacy issues, others have been reluctant to limit DOGE’s access to government data, citing insufficient evidence of damage.

On March 7, U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly denied a request to block DOGE’s access to Treasury Department systems, finding no proof of irreparable harm. Conversely, a separate court issued an order in New York that limited DOGE’s activities at the Treasury, citing concerns regarding inadequate vetting and training.

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