A federal judge in Manhattan has extended a ban on Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) accessing sensitive Treasury Department information. The ban was put in place earlier this month and has now been extended by Judge Jeannette A. Vargas. However, the judge rejected broader restrictions sought by 19 Democratic state attorneys general who had filed a lawsuit over the issue.
Judge Vargas issued a preliminary injunction, stating that she may lift the ban if the Treasury Department certifies by March 24 that DOGE members have received required cybersecurity training. The judge emphasized the importance of ensuring the security of sensitive personal data for millions of Americans, highlighting the potential catastrophic consequences of a cybersecurity breach.
The lawsuit aimed to prevent Musk’s DOGE team from developing automated or manual processes to halt payments flowing through the Treasury Department’s payment systems. Judge Vargas decided on a 'narrowly tailored' remedy instead of the requested 'broad and sweeping relief' to address concerns about the exposure of private banking data in a potential data breach.
Vargas emphasized that the delay in DOGE's efforts to modernize Treasury payment systems was necessary to address cybersecurity issues and protect sensitive information. The ruling, outlined in a 64-page document, underscores the critical need for safeguarding data to prevent any security breaches that could have far-reaching implications.
