Overview

• A divided 2-1 panel of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a Maryland district court’s block on DOGE, restoring its access to Education Department, Treasury and OPM systems.
• The majority concluded that unions and military veterans failed to demonstrate concrete injury and lacked standing because the data access did not constitute a final agency action.
• Access now covers personally identifiable information such as Social Security numbers, citizenship records, addresses, employer details and student debt data.
• Judge Robert B. King dissented, cautioning that unrestrained access poses significant privacy risks and arguing that the injunction should have stayed in place pending full review.
• The case returns to lower courts for further proceedings as the broader disputes over privacy protections and DOGE’s legal status remain unresolved.