Judge Issues Ruling on Whether or Not DOGE Can Access Student Loan Data

A U.S. judge ruled against an attempt to block Elon Musk’s government efficiency team from accessing student data from the Education Department, granting a temporary victory to Musk’s initiative to reduce federal spending. The decision allows more time for evidence gathering before a final ruling is made.

Key Facts:

A U.S. judge denied a request to immediately block Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) from accessing student data.
The University of California Student Association filed the lawsuit, arguing the data access posed a risk to students.
Judge Randolph D. Moss ruled that potential harm to students was “entirely conjectural” and not supported by evidence.
DOGE, an unofficial government team, is reviewing federal spending and has sought access to various government databases.
The decision is temporary, giving both sides time to present further evidence before a final ruling.

The Rest of The Story:

Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has faced mounting legal challenges as it pushes for broad access to federal data under the banner of eliminating wasteful government spending.

The latest case involves student loan and tax data from the Education Department.

A lawsuit brought by the University of California Student Association argued that DOGE’s access to student data, including Social Security numbers, could harm students.

However, Judge Moss ruled that these concerns were speculative and lacked concrete evidence.

His decision does not settle the matter entirely but allows further evidence collection before determining whether the lawsuit will proceed.

This ruling follows controversy surrounding DOGE’s attempts to access Treasury Department data and reports that the Social Security Administration chief resigned over related data access issues.

BREAKING: A federal judge just REJECTED an effort by a leftist group to block Elon Musk & DOGE from accessing student loan data at the Department of Education.

The judge concluded that the University of California Student Association didn't provide enough evidence to back their… pic.twitter.com/ZWiylycsTO

— George (@BehizyTweets) February 18, 2025

Commentary:

This ruling affirms a fundamental principle: the executive branch, led by the president, has authority over its departments and data.

If Elon Musk’s team is working under President Trump’s directive to investigate federal waste, it has every right to access government data, including student loan records.

The opposition to this effort appears to be less about protecting students and more about obstructing Trump’s initiatives.

If a Democratic administration were conducting a similar review, there would be little resistance from the media or activist groups.

Transparency and oversight should be applied consistently, regardless of political leadership.

The government collects massive amounts of personal data, and the question should not be whether DOGE can access it, but whether that data should be collected in the first place.

Critics argue that Musk’s involvement is unusual, but the reality is that the executive branch has broad discretion in how it enforces policies and investigates spending.

The pushback against DOGE seems to be driven by a fear that real inefficiencies will be exposed.

If taxpayer dollars are being wasted, why wouldn’t the government want to know?

Ultimately, this case is a test of whether elections have consequences.

If Trump was elected to reform government spending, his administration should be able to investigate how funds are used.

Otherwise, bureaucrats and activist groups, not elected officials, will control federal policy.

The Bottom Line:

This ruling is a win for executive authority and government accountability.

The lawsuit against DOGE was based on speculation rather than evidence, and the judge rightly refused to block Musk’s team.

The case is not over yet, but the broader issue remains: should bureaucrats and activist groups override the elected government’s ability to investigate wasteful spending?