DOGE blocked from accessing Education Department’s sensitive student data until March 10
Natalie Schwartz
February 24, 2025
A judge said the Trump administration failed to explain why the Department of Government Efficiency needed “sweeping access” to the agency’s records.
A federal judge on Monday blocked the U.S. Department of Education from allowing workers affiliated with the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, from accessing the agency’s sensitive student data through 8 a.m. on March 10.
The ruling comes in response to a lawsuit brought by the American Federation of Teachers, a handful of other unions and membership organizations, and several veterans who have taken out federal student loans.
The plaintiffs sought a temporary restraining order blocking the Education Department, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management and the U.S. Department of Treasury from sharing sensitive data with DOGE staffers, arguing that each of those agencies has violated the Privacy Act.
