Federal judge considers blocking DOGE from accessing Social Security data of millions of Americans

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: AP

Updated 5:02 PM EDT, March 14, 2025


BALTIMORE (AP) — A federal judge is considering whether to temporarily block Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency from accessing Social Security Administration systems that hold sensitive data on millions of Americans. A group of labor unions and retirees sued the Trump administration and asked the court to issue an emergency order limiting DOGE’s access to the agency and its data.

DOGE’s “nearly unlimited” access violates privacy laws and presents massive information security risks, they said. A recently departed Social Security official who saw the DOGE team sweep into the agency said she is deeply worried about sensitive information being exposed. The administration has said DOGE is targeting waste and fraud in the federal government.

During a Friday hearing on the issue in federal court in Baltimore, U.S. District Judge Ellen Hollander repeatedly questioned attorneys for the government about why the DOGE team needed such a large quantity of sensitive personal information about Social Security recipients, including health records for disability applicants. She questioned whether a more targeted approach would allow DOGE to uncover improper payments without accessing so much data.

“This is like hitting a fly with a sledgehammer,” she said of the Trump administration’s approach.

Read more: https://apnews.com/article/social-security-lawsuit-trump-doge-musk-4ecd670b2dacb46ee139cb20471a3932

[moniss]

1. Their AI will probably start taking people with the same name but different

SS numbers and dates of birth and stopping payments for SS and SSI to all of them and make people file for hearings to try and get their benefits back. Of course drastically reducing the staff means the hearings will take years perhaps. The way they play the game is to schedule a hearing for you and maybe that one is within 6 months. But then as the date comes close they send a notice saying that due to an absence of a hearing examiner, for example they are rescheduling for 90 days hence.

Then you go through the hearing process and they take 6 months to issue a decision. You can expect that first decision to go against you. Then you have the right to appeal that decision. You will be given an appeal date that is about 6 months to a year down the road. Then the scheduling delays will happen again. Then once the appeal hearing takes place you will get a decision perhaps 6 months or more later.

Even though in most cases the facts are simple and straight forward. Such as a birth certificate and a driver's license. In SSI cases they may not accept your doctor's report on its face and they may have you examined by someone. Expect that appointment to be well into the future and the report to take quite awhile also. You can expect their "exam doctor" to disagree with your doctor about degree of disability etc.

So you get to fight through this whole thing all without getting the money you have coming and likely facing financial struggles as a result. Some people may get their hearings and decisions to sail right along but I have known people with plenty of horror stories.

[NotHardly]

10. 'Considering' ... weasel word

[Justice matters.]

11. Horrifying! Send this reply to Bernie Sanders!

And to Tim Walz! And to Adam Shiff!

Don't let it remain hidden here! Ty!

[kkmarie]

2. doge has all the information

They have all the information already. They've been in the SSA systems for a month or so now. All our info has most likely been downloaded for space nazi enrichment. Am I missing something? Or isn't this move more of a closing the barn door after the horse got loose?

[royable]

3. This is closing the barn door after the horse got loose and was killed by falling rocket debris. n/t

[BumRushDaShow]

7. "killed by falling rocket debris."

killed by falling rocket debris unscheduled rapidly disassembled parts.

Fixed.

[mitch96]

17. Proof?

[joshdawg]

4. Oh, criminy. Don't just consider blocking it.

Just do the right thing and Block It!
This is not rocket science.
Sheesh!

[sindri]

5. "Like hitting a fly with a sledgehammer"

but missing, and instead smashing your hand! - is more like it.

[Vinca]

6. Considering blocking it???? Considering????? I don't want Big Balls in my bank account.

[Irish_Dem]

8. Is she being bribed or threatened?

She knows DOGE is wrong, but refuses to do her job.

[Moosepoop]

14. Refuses to do her job??

The hearing where she heard the oral arguments was just yesterday. Her decision, whatever it may be, has to be written out and issued. How long does that take? No idea, since I'm not a lawyer. But I think it's a bit premature to be proclaiming that she "refuses to do her job" -- and speculating on whether she's being bribed or threatened -- mere hours after her hearing oral arguments on a case.

If she rules for DOGE, then I'll speculate, too. But her line of questioning and remarks indicate that she may be leaning the other way. Until she actually issues a ruling, the insults and recriminations against her seem like an attack on her for no good reason.

[Irish_Dem]

18. I have not seen one judge do their job and stop Trump.

I am tried of everyone defending the judiciary who let a psychopath take over our country.
They are supposed to be a check and balance and a separate branch of power.

Sure.

[Moosepoop]

19. There's a difference between not defending the judiciary in general

and preemptively attacking a particular judge who has just heard the arguments on a case.

I just don't see the need to throw stones at an Obama-appointed judge who seems to be skeptical of the DOGE's arguments before she actually issues a ruling one way or the other. Your mileage may vary.

[2naSalit]

9. WTF!?

There is only ONE answer here, they have no business even thinking they can or should have access to ANY of our info about anything.

Fuck that noise.

[ancianita]

12. I can't find a link to a case filing for this. You'd think a news report would supply one.

[travelingthrulife]

13. Considering? WTF is wrong with these judges?

[Bengus81]

15. Hey Judge it's FUCKING HACKING!! WTF??

[turbinetree]

16. Hey Judge do you have a Social Security number..............you can be biased in this cased..............WTF.........

I and millions of others did not sign a release of our privacy information including our social security numbers.....................JFC........

[TommieMommy]

20. Yes yes yes 😱

[Scrivener7]

21. They're already in there.

[markie]

22. Time sensitive

All it takes is a few minutes with a computer

Justice delayed……