Today, federal judges in Virginia and New York issued split rulings regarding the Department of Government Efficiency's (DOGE) access to sensitive Treasury data, resulting in continued restrictions on the department's access.
In Virginia, US District Judge Rossie D. Alston declined to block DOGE's access to sensitive data at the Treasury Department and the Office of Personnel Management. However, in a separate case in New York, a judge ordered that the hold on DOGE's access to sensitive Treasury data systems would remain in place.
While the Virginia ruling was seen as a victory for the Trump administration, the Treasury Department is still required to comply with US District Judge Jeannette Anne Vargas's order in New York, preventing affiliates of DOGE from accessing systems containing sensitive data.
Judge Alston explained his decision by stating that the plaintiffs' concerns about potential future harm were too speculative and would require significant leaps in reasoning to justify injunctive relief.
During a hearing, Alston also highlighted the trend among courts in denying emergency orders in cases challenging DOGE's efforts to access closely guarded data systems at various agencies.
Alston emphasized the importance of nationwide consistency in judicial decisions, stating, 'I think it's important that on a nationwide basis, we have consistency in what we are doing.' He serves on a federal court in Alexandria.
