A federal judge issued a temporary restraining order halting the Trump administration’s planned layoff of approximately 1,400 CFPB employees, pending further evidence on the termination process. The layoffs, impacting roughly 90% of the agency, were intended to significantly reduce the CFPB’s scope, a move opposed by employee unions and some who value the agency’s consumer protection work. The judge’s decision follows a previous ruling and ongoing litigation challenging the legality and justification of the cuts. A hearing is scheduled for April 28th to address the matter further.
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A federal judge issued a temporary restraining order preventing Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) from accessing Social Security Administration (SSA) data containing personally identifiable information (PII). Judge Hollander’s ruling condemned DOGE’s actions as a “fishing expedition” lacking justification for accessing such sensitive data. The order prohibits the SSA from granting DOGE access to PII, which includes a wide range of personal information, and mandates the deletion of any already obtained non-anonymized PII. The judge highlighted the hypocrisy of DOGE concealing its affiliates’ identities while disregarding the privacy of millions whose SSA records were accessed.
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Labor groups are suing the Trump administration, alleging the destruction of USAID employee documents, including classified and personnel files, is underway. This alleged destruction, directed via email by a USAID official, is occurring despite ongoing litigation challenging unlawful employee firings. The unions argue this document destruction will irreparably harm their ability to reinstate wrongfully terminated employees. A temporary restraining order is sought to halt the document destruction, which the plaintiffs contend is a large-scale effort to eliminate critical data. The judge has yet to rule on this latest motion.
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A Maryland federal judge issued a temporary restraining order blocking the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) from accessing sensitive personal data held by the Department of Education and Office of Personnel Management. The judge found that granting DOGE broad access to this information, including social security numbers and financial details, violated the Privacy Act of 1974. The lawsuit, filed by unions representing federal employees and student aid recipients, argued the access posed a significant identity theft risk. The court determined that while a “need-to-know” exception might exist, the government failed to justify DOGE’s sweeping access to millions of records for its stated purpose of auditing student loan programs. The order temporarily protects the plaintiffs’ data, pending further justification from the administration.
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Federal Judge Deborah Boardman issued a temporary restraining order, preventing the Department of Education and Office of Personnel Management from sharing personal data with DOGE affiliates until March 10th, citing violations of the Privacy Act. This follows a similar preliminary injunction issued by a New York court blocking Treasury Department data access to DOGE. Both rulings address concerns about unauthorized disclosure of sensitive personal information to DOGE, deemed irreparable harm. The Maryland court declined to extend its order to Treasury data due to the pre-existing New York injunction.
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A federal judge issued a temporary restraining order preventing the Department of Education and the Office of Personnel Management from sharing sensitive personal information with representatives from Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). The judge found that this disclosure likely violated the Privacy Act by releasing data—including bank account numbers and Social Security numbers—without consent. The order protects current and former federal employees from potential misuse of their data by DOGE. The ruling comes in response to a lawsuit filed by several unions representing federal employees, who argue the data is being used inappropriately. The judge clarified that the order does not impede the administration’s broader policy goals, only the unauthorized release of sensitive personal information.
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Judge Tanya Chutkan denied a temporary restraining order to prevent Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) from accessing government data and conducting layoffs, finding insufficient evidence of immediate harm despite acknowledging legitimate concerns. The lawsuit, filed by fourteen states, challenges DOGE’s authority and Musk’s apparent unchecked power, arguing it violates constitutional principles of elected and Senate-confirmed leadership. While the judge recognized the states’ concerns regarding DOGE’s actions and lack of oversight, she determined the potential harm wasn’t immediate enough to warrant an immediate injunction. This decision follows similar rulings in other jurisdictions, though one judge has temporarily blocked DOGE’s access to Treasury data.
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A federal judge issued a temporary restraining order compelling government agencies to reinstate public access to health-related websites and data removed following President Trump’s executive order mandating the use of “sex” instead of “gender.” This order, prompted by a lawsuit from Doctors for America, addresses the removal of crucial resources, including HIV prevention reports and CDC reproductive health guidance, impacting patient care and medical research. The judge found the government’s actions caused irreparable harm to both doctors and the public by hindering access to vital health information. The government argued that the plaintiffs failed to demonstrate harm, a claim the judge rejected.
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A Maryland federal judge issued a temporary restraining order halting President Trump’s executive action restricting access to gender-affirming care for minors. This action, challenged as unconstitutional and discriminatory, prevents federal agencies from withholding funds from medical providers offering such care. The executive order prohibits federal funding for gender-affirming care, including puberty blockers and hormone therapy, for individuals under 19, impacting federal programs like TRICARE and Medicaid. The plaintiffs, including transgender minors and advocacy groups, argued the order violates existing law and harms vulnerable youth.
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A temporary restraining order (TRO) by Judge Engelmayer prevents Elon Musk’s team from accessing Treasury Department data without proper security clearances, citing violations of the Privacy Act of 1974 and the Tax Reform Act of 1976. The government opposes the TRO, arguing it restricts executive branch power, while critics like Musk and JD Vance falsely claim judicial overreach. This controversy highlights the ongoing debate over executive authority versus judicial oversight and the potential for disregard of court orders. The core issue is whether the administration can circumvent established laws and regulations regarding data access, not whether the executive branch can obtain the data itself.
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John Q. Hosedrinker