Monday’s order is another setback to the Trump administration and DOGE.
A federal judge blocked the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) from accessing sensitive personal information from several federal agencies, dealing another setback to the Trump administration’s attempts to slash federal programs.
In an order issued Monday, U.S. District Judge Deborah Boardman blocked DOGE, fronted by Elon Musk, from accessing information at the Department of Education, Department of the Treasury, and Office of Personnel Management (OPM). It means that those three agencies cannot disclose personally identifying information of plaintiffs who are part of a lawsuit challenging DOGE’s access.
“Those concerns are just as salient today,” Boardman wrote. “No matter how important or urgent the President’s DOGE agenda may be, federal agencies must execute it in accordance with the law. That likely did not happen in this case.”
Boardman then asserted that a presidential order to “maximize government efficiency” does not count, adding that DOGE’s access to the agency data may run against the federal Privacy Act and Administrative Procedure Act.
Previously, Boardman had issued a temporary restraining order against DOGE’s access at the three agencies. Monday’s order strengthens that decision into a preliminary injunction, meaning that her order will last until a final decision on the merits of the case is made.
The judge then told the Department of Education, the Treasury, and the OPM to not hand over any personal identifying information to DOGE officials or their affiliates.
Her order ruled in favor of six plaintiffs who filed the legal complaint. But five union organizations, which represent millions of people, also joined the lawsuit. They include the American Federation of Teachers, the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers, the National Active and Retired Federal Employees, and the National Federation of Federal Employees.
Officials affiliated with DOGE were given access to systems that contain personal information, Boardman wrote, noting that it includes Social Security numbers, banking information, home addresses, dates of birth, and other data such as citizenship and marital status.
“Enacted 50 years ago, the Privacy Act protects from unauthorized disclosure the massive amounts of personal information that the federal government collects from large swaths of the public,” the judge wrote.
