The Student Defense and Public Citizen Litigation Group, representing the University of California Student Association (UCSA), filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Education on Feb. 7. The lawsuit cites reports that the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) was granted access to private financial aid data.
On Feb. 11, U.S. District Judge Randolph D. Moss of the District of Columbia blocked DOGE from accessing 13 student financial aid data systems until Feb. 17. On that date, Moss is expected to rule on a request for a temporary restraining order, which would further block sensitive data from being shared with DOGE.
The UCSA lawsuit document states that students were not “asked to agree, and do not agree, that ED [the Department of Education] can share their sensitive information for purposes other than loan processing and servicing.”
“Students apply for financial aid trusting that the deeply confidential information we hand over — like our Social Security numbers and bank account information — will be kept private,” UCSA President Aditi Hariharan told New University. “Giving political operatives access to all this data without reason or our consent would break the law, betray our trust and violate our privacy.”
UCSA claims DOGE’s alleged access to data is in violation of the Federal Privacy Act of 1974, which “prohibits the disclosure of a record about an individual from a system of records absent the written consent of the individual.” The suit also claims the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) was violated. FERPA protects “the privacy of personally identifiable information in a student’s education record,” according to the Student Press Law Center.
Hariharan said she hoped court action would “prevent the department from illegally disclosing our personal, confidential information with DOGE or anyone else” and provide “full accounting of what has already been shared.”
According to The Washington Post, DOGE gained access to Department of Education databases containing students’ personal information, including Social Security numbers, dates of birth and contact information.
“These privacy violations and security risks make us question whether we should turn over data to the department in the future, which would hinder our ability to pay for college and potentially graduate school,” Hariharan said.
Fourth year UCI art student Jo Jenkins discussed that she is a recipient of financial aid and is fearful “that DOGE is looking to decrease the amount of aid that university students can get.”
“It’s absurd to think that a contracted government organization like DOGE would have the ability or authority to have access to this kind of information,” Jenkins said to New University.
UCSA’s lawsuit outlines the various databases that store personal information for student loans, including the National Student Loan Data System. The document states that more than 42 million people in the U.S. have federal student loans — 12.5% of the U.S. population.
“The Department of Education has data on everything from students’ income levels and educational outcomes to their banking information and Social Security numbers,” Student Defense Vice President Dan Zibel said in a press release. “There’s no putting the toothpaste back in the tube once that data gets into the wrong hands.”
Elon Musk, who leads DOGE, announced various cuts across the Department of Education, totaling more than $900 million, effective Feb. 10. President Donald Trump has repeatedly stated his intention to close down the department, telling reporters that it was a “big con job.” Shutting down the Department of Education would require approval from Congress.
Camelia Heins is a News Intern for the winter 2025 quarter. She can be reached at cheins@uci.edu.
Edited by Jaheem Conley.
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