Judges Block Access to Treasury Records, Halt USAID Staff Actions

Two separate court rulings this week have blocked efforts affecting the Treasury Department and the US Agency for International Development (USAID), Al Jazeera reports.

On Saturday, US District Judge Paul A. Engelmayer issued an order preventing the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by Elon Musk, from accessing Treasury Department records. The order came in response to a lawsuit filed by 19 Democratic attorneys general seeking to block the access, citing concerns over the potential exposure of sensitive personal data such as social security and bank account numbers. A hearing on the matter has been scheduled for February.

The day prior, US District Judge Carl Nichols blocked an order that would have placed thousands of overseas USAID workers on administrative leave.

These rulings add to a growing number of legal challenges and court orders that have impacted various initiatives.

DOGE’s push for access to records across government institutions has drawn scrutiny. USAID, a major distributor of humanitarian aid globally, has been targeted with potential staff reductions and a temporary freeze on US aid.