A federal judge has blocked the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) from accessing sensitive U.S. Treasury records containing millions of Americans’ Social Security numbers and bank account details.
U.S. District Judge Paul A. Engelmayer issued the preliminary injunction early Saturday, February 8th, after New York Attorney General Letitia James and 18 other state attorneys general sued the Trump administration, arguing that DOGE’s access was unlawful and posed serious privacy and security risks. The lawsuit claims President Donald Trump and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent granted DOGE expanded access to Treasury systems without legal justification.
Engelmayer ordered that any DOGE staffers who accessed this data since January 20th must immediately delete all copies. A hearing is set for February 14th.
“This unelected group, led by the world’s richest man, is not authorized to have this information,” James said. “They explicitly sought this unauthorized access to illegally block payments that millions of Americans rely on, payments for health care, child care, and other essential programs.”
DOGE, a government program led by Elon Musk, was created to cut what the Trump administration considers wasteful spending. The lawsuit argues that its access to Treasury records violates the Privacy Act of 1974, the Tax Reform Act of 1976, and constitutional separation of powers. The states involved include Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Wisconsin.
Musk has dismissed criticism, calling it overblown and claiming DOGE saves taxpayers millions. Critics, including Democratic lawmakers, argue that Musk exerts excessive influence over federal finances. Connecticut Attorney General William Tong called DOGE’s actions “the largest data breach in American history.”
The Treasury Department insists that DOGE’s access to reviewing payment systems was limited and that no changes were made. However, sources familiar with the situation say Musk’s team was exploring ways to freeze certain government payments, including funds disbursed by the U.S. Agency for International Development.
With the injunction in place, DOGE is barred from accessing Treasury data until the court hearing on February 14th.
