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Judge Rules OPM Unlawfully Shared Sensitive Data with DOGE

Judge Rules OPM Unlawfully Shared Sensitive Data with DOGE

First seen 22 Oct 2026, 22:12 UTC • •
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ThreatCluster AI
ThreatCluster •October 22, 2026 at 23:13 UTC
  • •A federal judge ruled OPM unlawfully shared sensitive data with DOGE.
  • •The ruling affects tens of millions of federal employees' personal data.
  • •DOGE's access was deemed unnecessary for IT modernization efforts.

A federal judge ruled that the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) unlawfully granted the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) access to sensitive personal data of millions of federal employees. The ruling, made by Judge Denise Cote on October 22, 2026, found that OPM violated the Privacy Act by allowing DOGE, led by Elon Musk, access to confidential personnel files without proper vetting. The case was initiated in February 2025 by the American Federation of Government Employees and others, arguing that the access was unnecessary for IT modernization. Following a preliminary injunction in June 2025, OPM rescinded access for DOGE agents, who have not had access since September 2025. The ruling is seen as a victory for federal workers, emphasizing that no agency or individual is above the law regarding the handling of personal data.

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Timeline

2025-02-01
Lawsuit filed against OPM
The American Federation of Government Employees and others sued OPM for granting DOGE access to sensitive data.
Federalnewsnetwork
2025-06-01
Preliminary injunction issued
Judge Cote issued a preliminary injunction blocking DOGE agents' access to sensitive data.
Federalnewsnetwork
2025-09-01
Access rescinded for DOGE agents
OPM confirmed that DOGE agents no longer had access to sensitive personnel data.
Federalnewsnetwork
2026-10-22
Judge rules against OPM
Judge Cote ruled that OPM's actions violated the Privacy Act, affirming the plaintiffs' claims.
Federalnewsnetwork

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Common questions

Who is affected by this ruling?
The ruling affects tens of millions of current, former, and prospective federal employees whose data was accessed.
What were the grounds for the lawsuit?
The lawsuit was based on the claim that OPM violated the Privacy Act by granting DOGE access to sensitive personal data without proper vetting.
What actions have been taken since the ruling?
Following the ruling, plaintiffs are seeking to delete any copies of the sensitive data that DOGE may still possess.