Working and retired community members rallied outside of a Baltimore courthouse Tuesday as the White House’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) attended a hearing over its access to the Social Security Administration.
The hearing comes after a motion was filed on behalf of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), the Alliance for Retired Americans and the American Federation of Teachers (ATF).
The motion was filed after a federal judge temporarily blocked DOGE from accessing sensitive information at the Social Security Administration (SSA) in March. The federal judge said a group of unions challenged DOGE’s access to those SSA systems, claiming it violated the Privacy Act.
That block is still in effect, despite opposition from leaders at the Social Security Administration and an executive order from President Trump that granted federal agencies full access to unclassified data to eliminate waste and fraud.
DOGE’s effort to save federal funds
The Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, is led by Elon Musk. At the direction of the White House, DOGE aims to lower federal spending, which has included cutting personnel and funding.
The task force has implemented layoffs at federal agencies and facilitated funding cuts for departments, which have affected universities and research facilities across the country.
As part of its efforts to root out waste and fraud, DOGE accessed the data of millions of Americans through the Social Security Administration.
The move prompted several lawsuits, with many claiming the Treasury Department allowed unlawful access to private data.
DOGE argued that limited access to SSA data would be impractical for employees, and said all DOGE employees had completed the required training and agreements to be able to access the data, CBS News reported.
Community members protest
On Tuesday, community members protested outside of a Baltimore courthouse as the federal hearing was going on inside.
The protestors voiced their concerns about the future of Social Security.
Some protestors questioned why Elon Musk and DOGE have access to SSA data.
“He’s affecting our Social Security, he’s basically trying to turn it upside down, letting go of employees,” Diana Lyles said as she represented AFSCME. “People are not getting the answers that they need as far as their benefits.”
Lyles also raised concerns about recent layoffs at the Social Security Administration, which she said has impacted services.
“We’re making sure that Social Security thrives and survives for everyone within the United States who is entitled to it,” Lyles said.
