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A2 U.S. NEWS
Tuesday 25 March 2025
Judge blocks DOGE from accessing sensitive information at U.S.

agencies

By LEA SKENE of the federal student loan
Associated Press program, the lawsuit says,
A federal judge on Mon- DOGE has been accessing
day blocked billionaire Elon loan data “for purposes of
Musk’s Department of Gov- destroying” the Education
ernment Efficiency from Department.
accessing people’s private President Donald Trump
data at the Education De- signed an executive or-
partment, the Treasury De- der last week to dismantle
partment and the Office of the department, saying
Personnel Management. that student loans will be
U.S. District Judge Deborah handled by the Small Busi-
Boardman issued a prelimi- ness Administration and
nary injunction in a case programs involving stu-
filed last month by a coali- dents with disabilities will be
tion of labor unions in fed- shifted to the Department
eral court in Maryland. Led of Health and Human Ser-
by the American Federa- vices.
tion of Teachers, the plain- His administration says
tiffs allege Trump’s admin- DOGE is targeting waste
istration violated federal across the federal govern-
privacy laws when it gave ment by addressing al-
DOGE access to systems leged fraud and upgrad-
with personal information Demonstrators gather outside of the Edward A. Garmatz United States District Courthouse in ing technology.
on tens of millions of Ameri- Baltimore, on Friday, March 14, 2025, before a hearing regarding the Department of Government One of the nation’s largest
cans without their consent. Efficiency’s access to Social Security data. teachers unions, the Ameri-
Boardman, who was nomi- Associated Press can Federation of Teach-
nated to the federal bench lated the law. She said the on federal employees and their information. That ers says it represents 1.8
by former President Joe government failed to ade- people with student loans public trust likely has been million workers in educa-
Biden, had previously is- quately explain why DOGE and government benefits. breached,” Boardman tion, health care and gov-
sued a temporary restrain- needed access to “millions That includes their income wrote in her opinion. ernment. Also joining the
ing order. The preliminary of records” to perform its and asset information, So- The lawsuit accused the suit were six people with
injunction offers longer- job duties. She also said cial Security numbers, birth Trump administration of sensitive information stored
term relief blocking DOGE the Trump administration dates, home addresses handing over sensitive in federal systems, includ-
access as the case plays can still carry out the presi- and marital and citizenship data for reasons beyond ing military veterans who
out. dent’s agenda without re- status. its intended use, violating received federal student
The judge found the Trump ceiving unfettered access “They trusted the federal the Privacy Act. Instead of loans and other federal
administration likely vio- to a trove of personal data government to safeguard carrying out the functions benefit payments.q

Second lady Usha Vance will visit Greenland as Trump talks up

U.S. takeover

By WILL WEISSERT should take control over three children will be part “doesn’t care” what the strategic national security
Associated Press the self-governing, miner- of a U.S. delegation that Europeans think. reasons not with an eye
WASHINGTON (AP) — Sec- al-rich territory of Ameri- will “visit historic sites” and He said Denmark is “not toward American expan-
ond lady Usha Vance can ally Denmark. “learn about Greenlandic doing its job” with Green- sionism.
plans a trip to Greenland, Vance will leave on Thurs- heritage.” land and “not being a “I think we will have it,”
at a time when President day and return Saturday, Media outlets in Green- good ally,” and “if that Trump said of Greenland
Donald Trump has sug- according to her office. land and Denmark report- means that we need to shortly after beginning his
gested the United States Vance and one of her ed that Vance would be take more territorial inter- second term on Jan. 20.
accompanied by Trump’s est in Greenland that is The U.S. already has a mili-
national security adviser, what President Trump is tary base on Greenland
Mike Waltz. The White going to do,” Vance said and the president’s eldest
House and the National on Fox News’ “Sunday son, Donald Trump Jr., vis-
Security Council did not Morning Futures.” ited it in January.
immediately respond to “Because he doesn’t care On her visit, Usha Vance
requests for comment. about what the Europe- will attend the Avannaata
Trump had mused during ans scream at us, he cares Qimussersu, Greenland’s
his first term about buying about putting the interests national dogsled race,
the world’s largest island, of American citizens first,” featuring about 37 mush-
even as Denmark, a NATO Vance said. ers and 444 dogs. The
ally, insisted it wasn’t for Since returning to the statement said Vance
sale. The people of Green- White House, Trump has and the U.S. delegation
land also have firmly re- repeatedly said that the “are excited to witness
jected Trump’s plans. U.S. will come to control this monumental race and
Usha Vance attends a campaign rally, Nov. 1, 2024, in Selma, Vice President JD Vance Greenland while insisting celebrate Greenlandic
N.C. said Sunday that Trump he supports the idea for culture and unity.”q
Associated Press