A federal choose early Saturday blocked Elon Musk’s staff from accessing Treasury Division information that include delicate private knowledge resembling Social Safety and checking account numbers for hundreds of thousands of People.
U.S. District Decide Paul A. Engelmayer issued the preliminary injunction after 19 Democratic attorneys normal sued President Trump. The case, filed in federal court docket in New York Metropolis, alleges the Trump administration allowed Musk’s staff entry to the Treasury Division’s central fee system in violation of federal regulation.
The fee system handles tax refunds, Social Safety advantages, veterans’ advantages and way more, sending out trillions of {dollars} yearly whereas containing an expansive community of People’ private and monetary knowledge.
Engelmayer, who was appointed by President Obama, additionally mentioned anybody prohibited from gaining access to the delicate info since Jan. 20 should instantly destroy all copies of fabric downloaded from Treasury Division techniques.
He set a listening to for Friday.
The White Home beforehand didn’t reply to a request for touch upon the lawsuit being filed.
Musk’s so-called Division of Authorities Effectivity, also referred to as DOGE, was created to find and get rid of what the Trump administration has deemed to be wasteful authorities spending. DOGE’s entry to Treasury information, in addition to its inspection of assorted authorities companies, has ignited widespread concern amongst critics over the rising energy of Musk, whereas supporters have cheered the thought of reining in bloated authorities funds.
Musk has made enjoyable of criticism of DOGE on his X social media platform whereas saying it is going to save taxpayers hundreds of thousands of {dollars}.
New York Atty. Gen. Letitia James, whose workplace filed the lawsuit, mentioned DOGE’s entry to the Treasury Division’s knowledge raises safety issues and the potential for an unlawful freeze on federal funds.
“This unelected group, led by the world’s richest man, just isn’t licensed to have this info, and so they explicitly sought this unauthorized entry to illegally block funds that hundreds of thousands of People depend on, funds for healthcare, youngster care and different important packages,” James mentioned in a video message launched by her workplace Friday.
James, a Democrat who has been one in all Trump’s chief antagonists, mentioned the Republican president doesn’t have the facility to present away People’ personal info to anybody he chooses, and he can’t lower federal funds accredited by Congress.
Additionally on the lawsuit are Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Wisconsin.
The go well with alleges that DOGE’s entry to the Treasury information may intrude with funding already appropriated by Congress, which might exceed the Treasury Division’s statutory authority. The case additionally argues that the DOGE entry violates federal administrative regulation and the U.S. Structure’s separation of powers doctrine.
It additionally accuses Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent of fixing the division’s long-standing coverage of defending delicate, personally identifiable info and monetary info to permit Musk’s DOGE staff entry to its fee techniques.
“This choice did not account for authorized obligations to guard such knowledge and ignored the privateness expectations of federal fund recipients,” together with states, veterans, retirees and taxpayers, the lawsuit says.
Connecticut Atty. Gen. William Tong mentioned it’s not clear what DOGE is doing with the data within the Treasury techniques.
“That is the most important knowledge breach in American historical past,” Tong mentioned in an announcement Friday. “DOGE is an unlawfully constituted band of renegade tech bros combing via confidential information, delicate knowledge and important fee techniques. What may go fallacious?”
The Treasury Division has mentioned that the evaluate is about assessing the integrity of the system and that no adjustments are being made. In line with two folks accustomed to the method, Musk’s staff started its inquiry searching for methods to droop funds made by the U.S. Company for Worldwide Growth, which Trump and Musk try to dismantle. The 2 folks spoke with the Related Press on situation of anonymity for worry of retaliation.
Individually, Democratic lawmakers are looking for a Treasury Division investigation of DOGE’s entry to the federal government’s fee system.
Additionally, labor unions and advocacy teams have sued to dam the funds system evaluate over issues about its legality. A choose in Washington on Thursday briefly restricted entry to 2 workers with “learn solely” privileges.
Izaguirre writes for the Related Press. AP author Dave Collins in Hartford, Conn., contributed to this report.
