Court Halts Elon Musk’s DOGE Access to Personal Information

A federal judge has granted a preliminary injunction by temporarily preventing Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) from accessing sensitive Treasury Department documents. These records contain personal information such as bank account numbers & Social Security information of millions of Americans. Unauthorized access to these documents can also lead to identity theft, fraud, or other forms of exploitation. This was reported by the Associated Press.

US District Judge Paul A. Engelmayer was appointed by President Barack Obama. He issued an order to block DOGE’s access while awaiting a final decision on the case. The ruling underscores the significance of legal oversight to safeguard sensitive data from unauthorized access. The Treasury Department’s payment system manages tax refunds, Social Security payments, veterans' benefits, & more, distributing trillions of dollars annually and housing a very big amount of financial and personal data.

This lawsuit was filed by nineteen Democratic state attorneys general against the Trump administration in federal court in New York. The lawsuit says the Trump administration violated federal law by granting Musk’s team access to the Treasury Department's central payment system. The case is supported by attorneys general from Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, & also Wisconsin.

Engelmayer also ordered that anyone who has accessed personal data, which  includes Social Security numbers or tax information, without authorization since January 20 (the day the new President took office), should strictly delete it to protect against potential misuse.

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