WASHINGTON — Democratic lawmakers are voicing concerns about Elon Musk’s company, DOGE, and its access to the Education Department’s systems containing personal data on millions of Americans.
In a letter to the acting education secretary, a group of Democrats are requesting intervention as DOGE’s access to student loan databases and other systems increases. They fear this could lead to a takeover attempt similar to Musk’s past actions. The letter seeks details of DOGE’s activities and pledges opposition to any attempt to dismantle the Education Department.
Democrats, including Representative Mark Takano of California, planned a Friday visit to the department’s Washington headquarters to request a meeting with Trump-appointed leaders.
The department is facing turmoil amid President Trump’s efforts to abolish it. The White House is considering a directive instructing the education secretary to drastically reduce the department’s size and urging Congress to eliminate it entirely. Numerous employees have been dismissed without explanation, and DOGE personnel have begun reviewing departmental records to cut spending.
According to sources familiar with the matter, Musk’s DOGE team has already accessed a database with personal information on millions of students and parents with federal student loans. One source, a department employee, stated that DOGE requested access over a week ago. Another source indicated that DOGE would receive administrator access to the department’s website on Friday, enabling them to modify website content or take it offline.
These individuals spoke on the condition of anonymity due to concerns about retaliation.
A federal lawsuit, filed Friday by Student Defense on behalf of the University of California Student Association, aims to prevent DOGE’s access to student financial aid systems, arguing it violates the privacy rights of millions of federal borrowers.
The lawsuit states that DOGE may now have access to Social Security numbers, driver’s license numbers, dates of birth, and contact information for student loan borrowers. The database also contains information on the parents of dependent loan applicants, including citizenship status and income details.
The suit describes this as an “enormous and unprecedented” invasion of privacy impacting over 42 million individuals whose data was entrusted to the department when applying for federal loans and grants.
The Education Department stated that DOGE is assisting with a return to in-person work, restoring employee accountability, and reforming the hiring process to prioritize merit. It insists that “nothing inappropriate or nefarious” is occurring.
“The DOGE employees are federal employees,” the department stated. “They have been sworn in, have the necessary background checks and clearances, and are focused on making the Department more cost-efficient, effective, and accountable to the taxpayers.”
Trump campaigned on a promise to close the department, characterizing it as infiltrated by “radicals, zealots and Marxists.” He nominated Linda McMahon, a professional wrestling executive, as education secretary, jokingly stating he wanted her “to put herself out of a job.”
However, Trump’s promise clashes with the reality that Congress mandates the department’s existence and most of its funding. It remains uncertain whether Trump could secure the political support to abolish the department, a goal some Republicans have pursued unsuccessfully in the past.
The White House moderated its stance on Thursday, with press secretary Karoline Leavitt stating that Trump and his team are exploring options “to reduce the size of the Department of Education, if not abolish it completely.”
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