Supreme Court Grants Temporary Access to Social Security Data for Government Efficiency Team

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday temporarily authorized the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to access sensitive data held by the Social Security Administration (SSA), including Social Security numbers, medical and mental health records, and family court information.

In a 6-3 decision, the Court granted a request made by the federal government, overturning earlier decisions by lower courts that had limited DOGE’s access. The case has now been sent back to the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond, Virginia, for further review on its legal merits.

The DOGE team, a federal task force created to modernize and improve government systems, was established at the start of the current administration’s term. Its stated mission includes updating federal technology to enhance efficiency and productivity across agencies.

Access to SSA records was initially denied by Acting Commissioner Michelle King, who later resigned. Her successor, Leland Dudek, authorized the access, prompting a series of legal challenges from privacy advocates and civil liberties organizations.

The Court’s majority found the temporary access reasonable while the case continues through the appeals process. The dissenting justices expressed concern over the potential implications for personal privacy and argued that access should have remained restricted during the legal proceedings.

This decision comes during a series of significant rulings from the Supreme Court. Earlier in the week, the justices declined to hear two cases filed by the energy industry challenging state and local lawsuits aimed at holding oil companies financially accountable for climate-related damages.

The justices also issued rulings on unrelated issues, including rejecting a foreign government’s effort to sue American businesses and addressing a workplace discrimination claim. In another case, the Court allowed federal authorities to proceed with ending temporary immigration protections for over 500,000 individuals from countries including Venezuela, Haiti, Cuba, and Nicaragua. The final outcome of that case is pending further review in the lower courts.

As federal policy continues to shift on a range of matters—from technology access to environmental accountability and immigration—the Court’s rulings are expected to shape ongoing national debates on the role of government and individual rights.