Federal Workers’ Unions Sue Treasury Over Musk’s Control Of Payments Data

The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) and other unions filed a lawsuit against the Treasury Department, seeking to block the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) from accessing federal payments data.

The US Treasury’s payment systems contain highly sensitive personal data, including records of Americans receiving tax refunds, Social Security checks, and other government disbursements.

The lawsuit follows reports that Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent approved a plan last weekend to grant Elon Musk-led DOGE access to sensitive financial records, Forbes reporter Danielle Chemtob wrote.

According to The New York Times, Treasury’s payment systems contain highly sensitive personal data, including records of Americans receiving tax refunds, Social Security checks, and other government disbursements.

Critics argue that Musk, who has aggressively pushed for deep government spending cuts, should not have access to such information.

Meanwhile, the Trump administration sent shockwaves through the higher education sector last week when the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issued a directive ordering federal agencies to halt outgoing grants and loans. The move effectively cuts off billions of dollars in research.