4th Circuit Upholds Block on DOGE's Social Security Data Access

A divided full panel of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected the Trump administration's request to grant the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by Elon Musk, unrestricted access to the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) sensitive data. The court, in a 9-6 vote, upheld a preliminary injunction previously issued by U.S. District Judge Ellen Hollander, who found that allowing such access likely violated federal privacy laws and exceeded typical SSA protocols. The majority opinion emphasized the longstanding expectation that Americans' personal information entrusted to the SSA would remain highly protected. The injunction was sought by labor unions and advocacy groups concerned about privacy and the potential misuse of data. The Trump administration argued that DOGE access was necessary to combat fraud and waste, a claim that critics—including the court—viewed as speculative and insufficient to override privacy protections. The administration may now seek Supreme Court review, but for now, restrictions on DOGE's access remain in place.