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AFSCME, the Alliance for Retired Americans and the American Federation of Teachers have sued to stop DOGE’s unlawful seizure of personal data.
Trump has tasked Musk with gutting federal agencies and programs to fund tax cuts for billionaires. Union lawsuits allege that the seizure of data by DOGE violates several laws including the Internal Revenue Code, the Privacy Act, the Federal Information Systems Modernization Act and more.
“Elon Musk is an unelected billionaire who has no right to access the benefits working people have paid into. We won’t allow him to undermine the promise that we can all retire with dignity one day; that if we ever get hurt on the job and are unable to work, we won’t go hungry,” said AFSCME President Lee Saunders. “Social Security insurance belongs to taxpayers, not Musk — no matter how rich he is,” continued Sanders.
AFSCME Retiree Council Chair, Jeff Birttnen said, “Retirees aren’t backing down. This lawsuit is our stand against Elon Musk and DOGE’s unlawful data grab — protecting the Social Security, pensions, and Medicare we’ve earned through years of hard work. We won’t let a billionaire compromise our future.”
The SSA maintains the financial, employment and medical data and addresses of millions of Americans. DOGE gained access to this data.So far at the SSA, DOGE has eliminated many jobs and closed 10 local offices, according to the nonprofit news outlet ProPublica. Social Security recipients rely on in-person service in all 50 states, as ProPublica notes. The closures could reduce access to Social Security benefits for many people and families who rely on them to make ends meet.
