### Supreme Court Grants DOGE Team Access to Sensitive Social Security Information

In a landmark decision, the Supreme Court has allowed the DOGE team, initiated by Elon Musk, full access to confidential information held by the Social Security Administration (SSA). This move grants the team access to critical data, including Social Security numbers, medical and mental health records, and family court information. By a 6 to 3 vote, the court's conservative majority overturned previous lower court limitations that had restricted DOGE's access.

The ruling temporarily voids the decisions made by two lower courts and redirects the case back to the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond for further proceedings on its merits. The court's three liberal justices dissented, advocating for continued restrictions on DOGE's access to protect citizens’ privacy.

Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, speaking for herself and Justice Sonia Sotomayor, strongly criticized the majority decision, arguing that the rush to grant access was unnecessary and jeopardized American citizens' private information. Jackson emphasized that the government's impatience should not override the ongoing legal process. She drew attention to the grave privacy risks this ruling poses to millions of Americans.

The controversy began on the first day of Trump's second term, when the DOGE team was tasked with modernizing federal technology to enhance governmental efficiency. Initially, Acting Social Security Commissioner Michelle King resisted granting access, resigning rather than comply. Her successor, Leland Dudek, then permitted DOGE unfettered access, sparking lawsuits from labor unions and advocacy groups.

These challengers claimed that providing such unrestricted access violated the federal Fair Privacy Act of 1974, which mandates that individuals consent before their records are shared. However, the government argued that such disclosure is permissible under one of the Privacy Act's exceptions, which allows internal sharing for essential official duties, such as modernizing technology and detecting fraud.

Earlier this year, a federal judge had temporarily prohibited DOGE from accessing SSA records, pending further litigation. Judge Ellen Hollander even ordered DOGE to delete any previously acquired data. Access was only restored after DOGE team members completed mandatory background checks and training. The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals supported this restraining order, stating that there was no urgent need for DOGE to access these records immediately. Nonetheless, the Supreme Court's latest decision reverses this stance and permits DOGE to continue their work.

Additionally, the court ruled in a separate case that DOGE is not obligated to release internal documents to a Washington watchdog group under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) until larger proceedings regarding the request conclude. This ruling also faced dissent from the court's liberal justices.

Overall, the decisions highlight ongoing tensions between modernizing government functions and safeguarding individual privacy rights, with significant implications for millions of Americans.