Overview

• Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is building a centralized DHS database, integrating sensitive data from federal agencies like the IRS, SSA, and HHS.
• Critics warn the system, described as a 'deportation machine,' could be used to target undocumented immigrants and potentially harm U.S. citizens and lawful residents.
• Civil rights groups and experts highlight significant risks of privacy breaches, misuse, and improper surveillance stemming from the aggregated data repository.
• Palantir, a data analytics company co-founded by Musk ally Peter Thiel, is reportedly involved in constructing the database infrastructure.
• The Trump administration claims the database aims to identify waste and fraud, but lawsuits have been filed challenging DOGE’s access to protected personal information.