DOGE blocked from accessing Education Department records, judge rules

A federal judge appointed by former President Joe Biden has temporarily blocked Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) from accessing personal records at the Department of Education (DoEd) as part of their cost-cutting sweep. Judge Deborah Boardman of Greenbelt, Maryland issued a temporary restraining order on Monday against DOGE’s access to records at the DoEd containing personal sensitive information on Americans, including financial data related to federal student loans.

The order established a two-week restraining order against the DoEd and the Office of Personnel Management from sharing information with the newly formed cost-cutting department. Boardman wrote in the decision that the continuing unauthorized disclosure of sensitive personal information to DOGE affiliates is irreparable harm that money damages cannot rectify.

The order stems from a lawsuit filed against the administration alleging that the agencies unlawfully granted access to records containing personally identifiable information to personnel implementing the President’s Executive Orders on the DOGE agenda. The plaintiffs have shown that they are likely to suffer irreparable harm without injunctive relief as DOGE affiliates have been granted access to systems of record containing sensitive data such as Social Security numbers, dates of birth, home addresses, income and assets, citizenship status, and disability status.

The latest ruling against DOGE comes from the same judge who previously blocked President Donald Trump’s executive order ending birthright citizenship. Boardman argued in the earlier ruling that citizenship is a national concern that demands a uniform policy.

DOGE has faced legal challenges in its efforts to cut wasteful federal spending. U.S. District Judge Tanya S. Chutkan recently denied a request to issue a temporary restraining order preventing Musk and DOGE from accessing data systems at several federal agencies. Additionally, District Judge Christopher Cooper, an Obama appointee, rejected a request from federal labor unions to pause the mass firings of federal workers by the Trump administration.

It is clear that the battle over DOGE’s access to personal records at the Department of Education is ongoing, with legal challenges and court rulings shaping the outcome. The protection of sensitive personal information and the balance between government efficiency and privacy rights remain at the forefront of this issue.

Aubrie Spady is a Writer for Fox News Digital.