Court blocks DOGE and Musk from accessing confidential data of Ministry of Finance - AP
In the United States, a federal judge on Saturday, February 8, temporarily blocked billionaire Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) from accessing the country's Treasury Department materials that contain confidential personal data, such as social security numbers and bank accounts of millions of Americans.
According to Censor.NET, this was reported by the Associated Press.
US District Judge Paul Engelmeyer issued a preliminary injunction after 19 Democratic attorneys general filed a lawsuit against US President Donald Trump.
The lawsuit states that the Trump administration allowed Musk's team to access the US Treasury Department's central payment system, which violated federal law.
The payment system processes tax refunds, social security payments, veterans' benefits, and more, sending trillions of dollars every year, while also maintaining an extensive network of Americans' personal and financial data.
Engelmeyer, who was appointed by President Barack Obama, also said that anyone who is barred from accessing sensitive information should immediately destroy all copies of materials downloaded from Treasury Department systems.
He scheduled a hearing for February 14.
New York Attorney General Letitia James, whose office filed the lawsuit, said that DOGE's access to the Treasury Department's data creates security problems and the possibility of unlawful freezing of federal funds.
