A US federal judge in Maryland has issued a temporary restraining order barring Social Security officials from granting access to sensitive records stored in their systems, or holding onto data taken by Elon Musk and his team. The order was issued by Judge Ellen L. Hollander, who deemed the intrusion into Social Security data as “concerning enough” to justify the two-week restraining order.
The decision follows a lawsuit filed by lawmakers challenging Mr. Musk’s scrutiny of the agency’s data systems, which appeared to violate federal privacy laws. The judge blocked top officials from granting Mr. Musk’s team entry to their systems, but allowed for redacted or anonymized data to be provided that facilitates broader analysis without violating federal regulations.
The ruling comes as part of a growing trend in federal courts blocking sensitive data from being shared with certain individuals and groups, including the Department of Homeland Security and Education Departments. The decision is aimed at preventing potential misuse of Social Security data for immigration enforcement purposes, which have been raised by lawyers arguing that agencies’ data systems could be used to aid a broader crackdown.
The order will expire in 14 days, and both sides are expected to file motions by March 27 to determine the next steps.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/20/us/politics/musk-doge-social-security-records.html