A U.S. appeals court on Tuesday rejected an attempt by a coalition of unions to block the Trump administration’s government downsizing unit, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), from accessing sensitive personal data, local media reports said.
U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Gave the Decision
In a 2-1 ruling, the Virginia-based 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said the unions were unlikely to succeed in their claim that DOGE’s access to federal databases would violate privacy laws. The case involves data held by the U.S. Department of Education, the Treasury Department, and the Office of Personnel Management, including Social Security numbers and citizenship information.
The decision lifts a temporary injunction issued by a federal judge in Maryland, which the appeals court had already paused in April. The court found the plaintiffs — including the American Federation of Teachers, the National Federation of Federal Employees, and a group of military veterans — had not demonstrated how they would be directly harmed. It also said they likely lacked legal standing because DOGE’s access did not qualify as a “final agency action” that could form the basis of a lawsuit.
Donald Trump Rolled Out DOGE
A dissenting judge argued it would be prudent to maintain the block while the case proceeds, criticizing the majority for imposing too high a standard on the plaintiffs, media reports said.
DOGE, which is not a formal government agency, was launched by U.S. President Donald Trump shortly after taking office in January to reduce federal bureaucracy and spending. At the time, it was headed by billionaire Elon Musk, who oversaw job and budget cuts across nearly every federal department. The initiative has been the target of multiple lawsuits. Elon Musk resigned in May after a public split with Donald Trump.
The agencies involved, as well as the unions, did not immediately respond to requests for comment, reports added.
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