A federal judge has dealt a significant blow to Elon Musk's DOGE, temporarily blocking the company from accessing sensitive Treasury Department records containing personal information such as Social Security numbers. The ruling, handed down by District Judge Paul A. Engelmeyer, comes in response to a lawsuit filed by 19 states alleging that the Trump administration exceeded its authority in granting DOGE access to the Treasury's federal payments system.

The lawsuit, filed in New York's Southern District Court, claims that the administration violated the US Administrative Procedures Act and the US Constitution's separation of powers doctrine when it granted DOGE access to the Treasury's records. The states argue that President Trump does not have the power to give away Americans' private information to anyone he chooses, and that Musk and DOGE have no authority to access sensitive data.

Judge Engelmeyer's order prohibits the Trump administration from granting access to all political appointees, special government employees, and government employees detailed from an agency outside the Treasury Department, to any Treasury Department payment record, payment systems, or any other data systems maintained by the Treasury Department containing personally identifiable information and/or confidential financial information of payees. The order also requires those prohibited from accessing the records to "immediately destroy any and all copies of material downloaded from the Treasury Department's records and systems" since January 20th, 2025.

A hearing is scheduled for February 14th to further discuss the matter. This is not the first time that the Trump administration has faced legal challenges over its actions. Federal judges have also blocked Trump's executive order targeting birthright citizenship, with one calling it "blatantly unconstitutional."

New York Attorney General Letitia James, who filed the lawsuit, emphasized that "President Trump does not have the power to give away Americans' private information to anyone he chooses, and he cannot cut federal payments approved by Congress. Musk and DOGE have no authority to access Americans' private information and some of our country's most sensitive data." Attorneys General from 18 other states joined James in the lawsuit, including Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Wisconsin.

This development is the latest in a series of controversies surrounding DOGE's access to government records and systems. As the legal battle unfolds, it remains to be seen how this will impact the company's operations and the broader implications for government data privacy.

In related news, Elon Musk has been facing criticism for his handling of DOGE, with some accusing him of staging a "takeover" of the federal budget. The controversy has sparked a wider debate about the role of technology companies in government and the need for greater transparency and accountability.

As the situation continues to evolve, it is clear that the stakes are high, with significant implications for data privacy, government accountability, and the role of technology in society. One thing is certain: this is a story that will continue to unfold in the coming weeks and months, with far-reaching consequences for all involved.