Policies & Analysis

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) brought this lawsuit against the Social Security Administration (SSA) and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), alleging violations of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). The dispute arose after the ACLU submitted FOIA requests to over 40 federal agencies seeking information about the Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) access to sensitive personal data. While many agencies complied or granted expedited processing, SSA denied expedited processing and did not respond to an appeal, and the VA failed to respond altogether. Neither agency released records in response to the ACLU’s requests. The lawsuit claims that both agencies unlawfully withheld records, failed to conduct proper searches, and ignored statutory obligations under FOIA. The ACLU asks the court to compel expedited processing, require the release of responsive documents, prohibit the agencies from charging fees, and award attorneys’ fees. On June 26, 2026, the ACLU withdrew its Motion for a Preliminary Injunction.

Immigrant and workers rights organizations have sued Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and Acting IRS Commissioner Melanie Krauss to prevent the IRS from unlawfully disclosing tax return information to immigration enforcement authorities. The IRS is required to keep tax records private and confidential for all taxpayers, including undocumented workers, unless disclosure is specifically allowed by law. Though there is no law that permits disclosure of tax records for immigration enforcement, the Trump administration has sought to access data to support mass deportation. Plaintiffs request that the IRS continue to protect taxpayer privacy as required by law.

A group of American taxpayers and recipients of government assistance filed a class action lawsuit against Elon Musk and Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent for sharing Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and Department of Treasury (Treasury) databases with Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). In order to pay taxes or receive government benefits, the plaintiffs provided the Treasury and OPM with their highly sensitive personal information, including Social Security Numbers, home addresses, and health information. The plaintiffs argued that Elon Musk violated the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act by deliberately accessing protected information stored in a government computer, and that the OPM and the Treasury violated the Privacy Act by failing to ask for the plaintiffs' consent before sharing their information with another person or agency. The plaintiffs requested that the court find the data sharing with DOGE unlawful and require the defendants to pay monetary damages. On May 15, 2025, the plaintiffs submitted a Notice of Voluntary Dismissal without prejudice.

The Center for Taxpayer Rights, Main Street Alliance, the National Federation of Federal Employees, and Communication Workers of America have filed a lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for sharing payment systems and personnel databases with Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). The plaintiffs represent taxpayers, small businesses, and government employees who entrust their personal financial information to the IRS in order to pay taxes, conduct business, and receive benefits. Upon its creation by President Trump in January 2025, DOGE has gained access to the payment systems of several government agencies, including the IRS, which contain the highly sensitive personal and financial information of American citizens. The plaintiffs in this case argue that DOGE's ability to view their private information violates the Privacy Act, the Internal Revenue Code, and the Administrative Procedure Act. The plaintiffs request that the court find the IRS's DOGE data sharing unlawful and prevent further information from being shared with DOGE.

The Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) and a federal government employee (Doe 1) have sued the Trump Administration for granting Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) access to payment system data and personnel records at the Department of the Treasury and the Office of Personnel Management. Upon its creation by President Trump in January 2025, DOGE has gained access to the payment systems and records of several government agencies, many of which contain the highly sensitive personal and financial information of American citizens. The plaintiffs in this case argue that DOGE's ability view confidential agency information intrudes upon the privacy of millions of Americans, violates the Privacy Act, and denies Americans their Fifth Amendment Right to informational privacy. The plaintiffs request that the court declare DOGE's actions unlawful and issue an injunction preventing DOGE from gaining any further access to confidential government records.

A coalition of labor unions and six veterans have filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Departments of Treasury and Education and the Office of Personnel Management for sharing payment systems and personnel databases with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). The six individual plaintiffs in this case are military veterans who have been personally harmed by federal agency data sharing with DOGE. Upon its creation by President Trump in January 2025, DOGE has gained access to the payment systems and records of several government agencies, many of which contain the highly sensitive personal and financial information of American citizens. The plaintiffs in this case argued that DOGE's ability view confidential agency information intrudes upon the privacy of millions of Americans and violates the Privacy Act. The plaintiffs requested that the court find the DOGE data sharing unlawful and prevent further information from being shared with DOGE.

The National Treasury Employee Union (NTEU), a labor union that represents 150,000 government workers, has filed a lawsuit against Acting Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) Russell Vought for sharing CFPB employees' private information with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). After creating DOGE through Executive Order 14158, Trump instructed DOGE to compile all federal government employee information by accessing each department's and agency's personnel records. Vought granted DOGE employees access to the CFPB's confidential personnel records, containing the personal and financial information of all of the agency's employees. The plaintiffs argue that Vought violated the Privacy Act by giving non-CFPB workers access to CFPB personnel files. The plaintiffs request that the court find Vought's actions unlawful and prevent Vought from granting DOGE further access.

A coalition of U.S. states led by the State of New York has filed a lawsuit against the President Trump and the Department of the Treasury in an attempt to block Department of Treasury records from being shared with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). The plaintiffs allege that President Trump granted DOGE access to Treasury payment systems, which contain the personal financial information of millions of Americans. The plaintiffs argue that DOGE accessing the sensitive information housed by the Treasury violates the Administrative Procedure Act by overstepping statutory authority and failing to follow existing legislation regarding the dissemination of private information. The plaintiffs request that the court issue an injunction preventing DOGE from accessing any of the Treasury's payment and data systems. On February 21, 2025, the court granted the plaintiffs' motion for a preliminary injunction. In response, the defendants moved to dissolve the injunction. On April 11, 2025 the court granted defendants' motion in part and modified the preliminary injunction.

A coalition of unions and think tanks has sued the Trump administration to prevent the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) from accessing sensitive information housed by the Department of Labor, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The plaintiffs argue that the creation of DOGE itself oversteps the powers of the Executive Branch, and that DOGE has no authority under the Administrative Procedure Act to eliminate government agencies or access sensitive information within government agencies. The plaintiffs further argue that DOGE obtaining sensitive agency information violates the Privacy Act by failing to meet the Privacy Act's criteria for the disclosure of records. The plaintiffs request that the court prevent DOGE from accessing any further records from the Department of Labor, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and require DOGE to return any records from these agencies that they have illegally obtained.

A group of federal government employees have filed a class action lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Treasury and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) for sharing payment systems and personnel databases with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). DOGE has gained access to the payment systems and personnel records of several government agencies, many of which contain the highly sensitive personal and financial information of American citizens. The plaintiffs argue that DOGE's ability view their private information violates the Privacy Act by failing to ask for the plaintiffs consent before sharing their information with another person or agency.

The University of California Student Association, a non-profit which advocates for undergraduate students in the University of California system, has sued the Department of Education in order to prevent federal student loan borrowers' private information from being shared with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). DOGE sought access to Department of Education databases that contain sensitive financial information about individuals who have taken out student loans from the federal government. The plaintiffs argue that the dissemination of private information held by the Department of Education violates the Administrative Procedure Act and the Privacy Act.

The Alliance for Retired Americans, the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), and the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) have sued the U.S. Department of the Treasury for sharing Americans' confidential information with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). The plaintiffs allege that Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent facilitated DOGE gaining access to the records of the Bureau of the Fiscal Service, which manages financial transactions for the entire federal government, including financial transactions between the government and members of the public. To serve this function, the Bureau of Fiscal service collects and maintains sensitive personal and financial information from millions of Americans. The plaintiffs argue that sharing this information with DOGE violates the Administrative Procedure Act and the Privacy Act, as well as Internal Revenue Code regulations. The plaintiffs requested that the court block DOGE access to Bureau of Fiscal Service Records and grant relief to individuals whose information was accessed.