The order by District Judge Ellen Hollander banned DOGE staff from accessing data containing information that could personally identify Americans, such as their Social Security number, medical history, or bank records.

Hollander ruled that the Social Security Administration, SSA, can only give redacted or anonymized records to DOGE employees who have completed background checks and training on federal laws, regulations, and privacy policies.

The order is the latest legal challenge to Musk and DOGE’s drive to slash outgoings deemed wasteful or contrary to President Donald Trump’s policies.

It comes after SSA chief Michelle King reportedly quit in February over DOGE’s requests to access Social Security recipient information.

The case was brought by a group of unions who argued that the agency had opened its data systems to unauthorized personnel from DOGE, with disregard for the privacy of millions of Americans.

The American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees, AFSCME, praised the ruling as important.

According to the order, DOGE staff must also delete any non-anonymized Social Security data they have had since Trump took office in January.

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The judge said the plaintiffs had established that both agencies had likely violated federal law by granting DOGE sweeping access to sensitive personal information in violation of the Privacy Act of 1974.

According to the Judge, that information, included Social Security numbers, dates of birth, home addresses, income and assets, citizenship status and disability status for current and former federal employees and student aid recipients.

Meanwhile, the Trump administration had argued that a ruling blocking DOGE from accessing the information would impede the Republican president’s ability to fulfill his agenda by limiting what information his advisors can access.

However, an appointee of Trump’s Democratic predecessor Joe Biden, Boardman, said her order prevents the disclosure of the plaintiffs’ sensitive personal information to DOGE affiliates who, on the current record, do not have a need to know the information to perform their duties.

The White House is yet to comment on the development.

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Alexandre de Moraes ordered the immediate and complete suspension of the social media platform until it complies with all court orders and pays existing fines.

The row began in April, with the judge ordering the suspension of dozens of X accounts for allegedly spreading disinformation.

Reacting to the decision, X owner Elon Musk said free speech is the bedrock of democracy and an unelected pseudo-judge in Brazil is destroying it for political purposes.

By Saturday morning some users had reported access to the platform was no longer possible.

It closed its office in Brazil earlier this month, saying its representative had been threatened with arrest if she did not comply with orders it described as censorship – as well as illegal under Brazilian law.

Justice Moraes had ordered that X accounts accused of spreading disinformation – many supporters of the former right-wing president Jair Bolsonaro – must be blocked while they are under investigation.

He said the company’s legal representatives would be held liable if any accounts were reactivated.

The head of Brazil’s telecommunications agency, which has been tasked with suspending the platform, said he is proceeding with the compliance to do so.

Justice Moraes has given companies such as Apple and Google a five-day deadline to remove X from its application stores and block its use on iOS and Android systems.

He added that people or businesses using means such as VPNs -virtual private network-  to access the platform could be fined £6,700.

According to the judge’s order, a ban will be in effect until X names a new legal representative in the country and pays fines for violating Brazilian law.

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Trump disclosed this while speaking at a recent rally in Michigan.

Recall that President Joe Biden accused Elon Musk and other billionaires of trying to buy electoral victory for Trump days before he steeped down as the Democratic Party’s candidate.

Musk publicly endorsed Trump after he survived an assassination attempt at a rally in Butler Pennsylvania.

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Musk’s donations will go to a political group dubbed America PAC, which will focus on promoting voter registration, early voting and mail-in ballots among residents in swing states ahead of the November general election, the Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter.

Musk is one of several major backers of the new fund, with others reportedly including Palantir co-founder Joe Lonsdale, former US ambassador to Canada Kelly Craft and cryptocurrency investors Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss.

The Tesla founder formally endorsed Trump’s candidacy for US president on Saturday after the former president survived a shooting at a political rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.

Musk, the wealthiest man in the world with an estimated net worth of $250 billion, has grown increasingly friendly with Trump over the course of the 2024 US election.

In March, the two met in person during a donor breakfast hosted at the Florida residence of billionaire Nelson Peltz.

Though individual campaign donations in the United States are capped at $3,300 per person, loopholes in the campaign finance system allow political mega donors to contribute to funds known as political action committees or “PACs,” which support candidates.

Trump previously decried mail and absentee voting, but has backtracked on his criticisms after it became clear Democrats had an edge among mail voters.

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