The Social Security Administration (SSA) sends out millions of benefit checks every month. Though today, it finds itself going through a particularly rocky chapter. A federal judge has temporarily restrained the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) from accessing sensitive personal data held by the SSA. This order, coupled with the controversial leadership of acting commissioner Lee Dudek and the nomination of a new commissioner, has ignited concerns about the agency's stability and the security of beneficiaries' information.
Judge Ellen Lipton Hollander’s order noticeably prohibits SSA employees, including Dudek, from providing DOGE access to information. This data should never include anything that can identify someone. In addition to the general injunction, the court order refers to a specific requirement for DOGE team members to delete all non-anonymized PII collected since January 20.
The SSA’s compliance with the court’s order would present operationally dire repercussions.
As it stands, I will follow it exactly and terminate access by all SSA employees to our IT systems. - Lee Dudek
The SSA’s press officer further reassured the agency’s commitment to following the court’s order.
We have received the court order and we will comply, - Social Security spokesperson
Dudek’s short time as acting commissioner has already sparked major controversy. Critics accuse his leadership of endangering Americans’ security and closing down vital agency functions. They further accuse him of plotting staff layoffs. After a series of events, he too has been put on administrative leave due in large part to his cooperation with DOGE.
Nancy Altman, president of Social Security Works, characterized Dudek's leadership as the "darkest" in the SSA's nearly 90-year history.
He has sown chaos and destruction, - Nancy Altman, president of Social Security Works
As we’ve previously reported, Dudek has publicly admitted her mistakes and promised to learn from them. He also hinted that his anti-fraud and IT teams would be joining DOGE as well.
My anti-fraud team would be DOGE affiliates. My IT staff would be DOGE affiliates, - Lee Dudek
Earlier this month, President Donald Trump nominated Fiserv CEO Frank Bisignano to take over as commissioner. Bisignano’s Senate confirmation hearing is set for Tuesday. The nomination arrives as the agency grapples with the fallout from the court order and the broader concerns surrounding data security and service delivery.
The SSA's responsibilities extend to both Social Security and Supplemental Security Income benefits, making the integrity of its data systems paramount for millions of Americans. The issues exposed by this ongoing crisis have caught the interest of Federal lawmakers.
While some, like Jason Smith, R-Mo., have lauded past administrations for safeguarding Social Security benefits, others, such as Richard Neal, D-Mass., have criticized actions that could lead to "back-door benefit cuts."
The SSA did not respond to CNBC’s inquiries regarding compliance with the court order. This demonstrates how precarious the climate is.
