U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper has ordered the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a component of the Trump administration’s efforts to streamline government operations, to comply with Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests. 

DOGE, which has been involved in significant restructuring and downsizing efforts within the federal government, has been the subject of controversy due to its operations being conducted with “unusual secrecy.” The watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) filed a lawsuit seeking records related to DOGE’s activities, including its role in mass firings of federal workers and restructuring of government agencies.

Judge Cooper’s ruling found that DOGE likely exercises substantial independent authority, similar to other components of the Executive Office of the President that are subject to FOIA. This includes entities like the Office of Science and Technology Policy and the Council on Environmental Quality, which have significant roles in evaluating federal programs.

The ruling requires DOGE to expedite the processing of FOIA requests, with the Office of Management and Budget and the U.S. Digital Service (USDS) needing to provide an estimate of the volume of records involved by March 20. Both parties must also submit a proposed schedule for the expedited release of documents by March 27.

The administration had argued that DOGE’s records fall under the Presidential Records Act, which can temporarily shield information from public scrutiny. However, Judge Cooper’s decision suggests that DOGE’s actions may be too significant to be exempt from FOIA.

Because DOGE is subject to FOIA, U.S. Representative Jamie Raskin has urged all American citizens to file formal demands for access to their personal data collected by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and Elon Musk. 

By filing FOIA requests, individuals can demand that DOGE disclose any information it holds about them. This includes data from various federal departments, such as Social Security and Education.

Citizens can file a Privacy Act request by completing a fillable form available online and mailing it to DOGE. This process is straightforward and requires minimal effort, making it accessible to all who wish to assert their right to privacy and data security.