Maryland judge blocks DOGE on ‘fishing expedition’ of Social Security database

A federal judge temporarily blocked Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) today from the American Social Security system.

U.S. District Judge Ellen Hollander of Maryland ruled DOGE had little justification to breech sensitive information. The ruling could be challenged in a lawsuit labor unions, retirees and advocacy group Democracy Forward filed, as reported by The Associated Press.

A source who no longer works with the Department of Social Security declared in the lawsuit witnessing DOGE in the agency and feared for the exposure of sensitive information.

Hollander, 75, is based in Baltimore and called DOGE’s work in the department a “fishing expedition,” and ordered DOGE to delete all personally identifiable data in their possession. She was appointed by former President Barack Obama in 2010.

“The DOGE Team is essentially engaged in a fishing expedition at SSA, in search of a fraud epidemic, based on little more than suspicion,” she wrote.

If DOGE staff undergo training and background checks, Hollander said they would be allowed to access redacted data or data that does not contain personally identifiable information (PII).

“To be sure, rooting out possible fraud, waste and mismanagement in the SSA is in the public interest. But, that does not mean that the government can flout the law to do so,” Hollander wrote.

President Donald Trump put Musk, who described Social Security as a “ponzi scheme,” and DOGE in charge of identifying federal government waste, including laying off employees. The Trump Administration argued that no personal data was improperly shared.

The ruling is a “major win for working people and retirees across the country,” according to American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees President Lee Saunders.

Democracy Forward President Skye Perryman said “the court recognized the real and immediate dangers of DOGE’s reckless actions and took action to stop it.”

In February, federal judges also blocked DOGE after staffers gained access to government databases at the Department of the Treasury.

DOGE faces nearly 24 lawsuits.