Ill., 18 states sue to stop DOGE access to data.(AGD)

Byline: ANTHONY IZAGUIRRE Associated Press

Nineteen Democratic attorneys general sued President Donald Trump on Friday to stop Elon MuskǮs Department of Government Efficiency from accessing Treasury Department records that contain sensitive personal data such as Social Security and bank account numbers for millions of Americans.

The case, filed in federal court in New York City, alleges the Trump administration allowed MuskǮs team access to the Treasury DepartmentǮs central payment system in violation of federal law.

The payment system handles tax refunds, Social Security benefits, veteransÇ® benefits and much more, sending out trillions of dollars every year while containing an expansive network of AmericansÇ® personal and financial data.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

MuskǮs Department of Government Efficiency, also known as DOGE, was created to discover and eliminate what the Trump administration has deemed to be wasteful government spending. DOGEǮs access to Treasury records, as well as its inspection of various government agencies, has ignited widespread concern among critics over the increasing power of Musk, while supporters have cheered at the idea of reining in bloated government finances.

New York Attorney General Letitia James, whose office filed the lawsuit, said DOGEǮs access to the Treasury DepartmentǮs data raises security problems and the possibility for an illegal freeze in federal funds.

ǣThis unelected group, led by the worldǮs richest man, is not authorized to have this information, and they explicitly sought this unauthorized access to illegally block payments that millions of Americans rely on, payments for health care, child care and other essential programs,ǥ James said in a video message released by her office.

James, a Democrat who has been one of TrumpǮs chief antagonists, said the president does not have the power to give away AmericanǮs private information to anyone he chooses, and he cannot cut federal payments approved by Congress.

Also on the lawsuit are Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Wisconsin.

The suit alleges that DOGEǮs access to the Treasury records could interfere with funding already appropriated by Congress, which would exceed the Treasury DepartmentǮs statutory authority.

The case also argues that the DOGE access violates federal administrative law and the U.S. ConstitutionǮs separation of powers doctrine.

It also accuses Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent of changing the departmentǮs long-standing policy for protecting sensitive personally identifiable information and financial information to allow MuskǮs DOGE team access to its payment systems.

Ç£This decision failed to account for legal obligations to protect such data and ignored the privacy expectations of federal fund recipients,Ç¥ including states, veterans, retirees, and taxpayers, the lawsuit says.

The Treasury Department has said the review is about assessing the integrity of the system and that no changes are being made.

According to two people familiar with the process, MuskǮs team began its inquiry looking for ways to suspend payments made by the U.S. Agency for International Development, which Trump and Musk are attempting to dismantle. The two people spoke with The Associated Press on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation.

Separately, Democratic lawmakers are seeking a Treasury Department investigation of DOGEǮs access to the governmentǮs payment system.

Also, labor unions and advocacy groups have sued to block the payments system review over concerns about its legality.