The Department of Justice has granted the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by Elon Musk, access to a critical immigration database, the Court and Appeals System, which contains records on millions of immigrants dating back to the 1990s.
The DOGE team comprises individuals with controversial backgrounds. Marko Elez, who resigned from the government in February after being linked to a deleted social media account that allegedly made racist posts, was rehired after Musk dismissed the significance of the posts. Other team members include former hedge fund staffer Adam Hoffman, and Payton Rehling and Jon Koval, both affiliated with a private-equity firm tied to Musk.
The exact purpose of DOGE’s access to the immigration database remains unclear. However, it is speculated that this could be part of expanding on President Donald Trump’s efforts at the mass deportation of illegal immigrants, particularly those with violent criminal records.
The Court and Appeals System holds sensitive information on millions of immigrants, and the decision to grant DOGE access has raised questions about the potential for data misuse and the implications for immigrant communities.
