Democratic senators ask for details on DOGE access to disaster victims' data

Three Democratic senators led a letter to Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) personnel Tuesday asking for details on Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) access to disaster victims’ data.

In a letter Tuesday to acting FEMA Administrator Cameron Hamilton, Sens. Peter Welch (Vt.), Adam Schiff (Calif.) and Alex Padilla (Calif.) asked for details on who has been granted access to victim data between Jan. 20 and Feb. 14, including which of those people are White House, FEMA or DOGE employees.

The senators also requested details on what use those people were authorized to make of the data and FEMA’s protocols for ensuring that data is not misused.

“The United States has suffered from a growing number of natural disasters over the past several years—from severe flooding in Vermont and hurricanes in North Carolina, to catastrophic wildfires in Hawaii and California. In order to register for federal disaster assistance and receive help rebuilding their communities, our constituents have provided their personally identifiable information to FEMA,” they wrote.

“They did not do so with the expectation that their sensitive information would be turned over to unvetted, unaccountable DOGE agents.”

The letter was also signed by Democratic Sens. Mazie Hirono (Hawaii), Chris Van Hollen (Md.), Martin Heinrich (N.M.), Richard Blumenthal (Conn.), Ed Markey (Mass.), Ron Wyden (Ore.), Jeff Merkley (Ore.) and Amy Klobuchar (Minn.), as well as Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).

Despite its name, DOGE was created within the executive office of the president rather than as a congressionally authorized Cabinet department.

In recent weeks, Democratic lawmakers and career staff have raised alarm about staffers’ access to Americans’ private data, with acting Social Security Commissioner Michelle King reportedly resigning this week over attempts to gain access to recipients’ information.

President Trump has indicated plans to eliminate FEMA outright and return its functions to state governments, and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, whose department includes the agency, said Sunday that while “we still need the resources and the funds and the finances to go to people that have these types of disasters, like Hurricane Helene and the fires in California,” she supports getting "rid of FEMA the way it exists today.”

The Hill has reached out to FEMA for comment.

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