DOGE temporaily blocked from accessing Treasury payment system
A federal judge has granted an injunction requested by 19 attorneys general to prevent the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) from accessing the Treasury Department’s central payment system. U.S. District Judge Jeannette Vargas issued a preliminary injunction, blocking access to the records while the case is litigated on the merits.
In her 64-page decision, Vargas highlighted the need to protect the states’ bank records, leading to the preliminary injunction against DOGE. However, she also noted that the plaintiffs had not demonstrated entitlement to the broad relief they sought, which exceeded the scope of the present Temporary Restraining Order (TRO).
The White House outlined potential destinations for DOGE dividend checks after President Donald Trump suggested giving 20% of the savings back to Americans. Vargas has given the Trump administration attorneys an opportunity to rectify any defects to safeguard sensitive information.
The lawsuit filed by the 19 AGs alleges that DOGE unlawfully accessed the Treasury Department’s central payment system at the behest of the Trump administration. This system contains crucial information like Americans’ Social Security, Medicare, veterans’ benefits, tax refund details, and more.
Defense attorneys argue that the Treasury Department’s actions were lawful, with only two DOGE team members granted “read-only” access to the payment system information. New York Attorney General Letitia James, along with AGs from other states, filed the lawsuit, citing concerns about privacy violations and the risk to Americans’ sensitive data.
“We just won a court order stopping DOGE and unauthorized individuals like Elon Musk from accessing private data and blocking federal funds,” James stated. The AGs assert that granting DOGE access to the payment system jeopardizes personal information like bank account details and Social Security numbers.
This ongoing legal battle underscores the importance of protecting sensitive data and upholding privacy rights. The outcome of this case will have significant implications for government transparency and accountability. Fox News contributors William Mears and Maria Paronich provided additional insights into this developing story.
