A Lawsuit Seeks to Block Trump Administration's Efforts to Merge Personal Data
A class-action federal lawsuit filed Tuesday seeks to block the Trump administration's efforts to aggregate personal data of hundreds of millions of Americans from various federal agencies. The suit argues that the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Government Efficiency team are violating federal privacy laws and the U.S. Constitution by creating a massive database of sensitive information.
According to the lawsuit, the administration is "working rapidly" to create a national data bank, which has been consistently resisted by Congress and the American people. The Privacy Act was designed to prevent such aggregation of personal data, the suit claims.
The lawsuit was filed in federal court in Washington D.C. on behalf of several plaintiffs, including a former government employee who expressed concerns about the potential security breaches and disenfranchisement of eligible voters.
"We are taking action to protect the rights of Americans and ensure that their sensitive information is not compromised," said Sarah Jones, lead attorney for the plaintiffs. "The administration's actions are a clear overreach of executive power and a threat to our democracy."
A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security declined to comment on the lawsuit, citing ongoing litigation.
The Trump administration has been pushing for increased data sharing among federal agencies in an effort to improve national security and efficiency. Critics argue that this move is a step towards creating a surveillance state and eroding individual privacy rights.
"This is exactly what we warned about," said Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR), who has long been a vocal critic of the administration's data-sharing plans. "The administration is using its power to create a massive database of personal information, which will inevitably lead to abuse and compromise national security."
The lawsuit seeks an injunction to block the administration's efforts to merge personal data and demands that the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Government Efficiency team be held accountable for violating federal laws.
As the case moves forward, it remains to be seen whether the court will grant the plaintiffs' request or allow the administration's plans to proceed. The outcome is likely to have significant implications for individual privacy rights and national security policies in the United States.
*Reporting by Npr.*
