Judge won’t block DOGE from accessing Labor Department systems

SUMMARY

A federal judge declined to block Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) from accessing Labor Department systems or taking action against employees who refuse to provide system credentials. U.S. District Judge John Bates ruled that the plaintiffs, including the AFL-CIO and government unions, lacked legal standing, despite concerns about data privacy involving medical and financial records. Bates acknowledged the importance of data security but emphasized that plaintiffs had not demonstrated sufficient harm. He highlighted DOGE’s rapid expansion across federal agencies and urged caution but did not find grounds to prevent its operations. The Justice Department defended DOGE, arguing its access did not violate privacy laws and that no evidence of harm had been presented. DOGE supporters view the initiative as a step toward modernizing and streamlining government operations. Plaintiffs signaled plans to broaden their lawsuit to other agencies.