The Department of Government Efficiency will be allowed only limited access to Social Security data after a federal court handed a ruling that will block the agency from tapping beneficiaries’ personal identifiable information at will.

A federal judge blocked Department of Government Efficiency personnel from accessing sensitive Social Security records. U.S. District Judge Ellen Hollander ruled in favor of a group of unions and retirees in Maryland who sued to prevent DOGE from accessing Social Security data.

Elon Musk’s government efficiency team now faces a longer prohibition against wholesale access to sensitive personal information from the Social Security Administration, which administers retirement payments and other benefits.