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Warren Demands Probe Into Alleged DOGE Access to Student Loan Data

Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) is calling for an independent investigation into the Department of Education over concerns that the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) may have improperly accessed sensitive federal student loan data.

In a letter obtained by ABC News, Warren urged the Department of Education’s Office of Inspector General (OIG) to examine what she described as the “infiltration” of the department’s student aid systems by DOGE employees.

“The full extent of DOGE’s role and influence at the Department of Education remains unknown,” Warren wrote. “This lack of clarity is not only frustrating for borrowers but dangerous for the future of an agency responsible for managing a $1.6 trillion student loan portfolio.”

The Federal Student Aid (FSA) system serves more than 40 million borrowers across the country. While it’s unclear if DOGE altered any student loan data, Warren is raising alarms over the department’s lack of transparency.

“The Department is refusing to tell Americans who’s digging through their personal data and whether that data is safe,” Warren said in a statement. “I’m calling for an independent investigation into what they’re hiding.”

The OIG, an independent body within the Department of Education, is tasked with uncovering fraud, abuse, and mismanagement of department resources.

Warren’s letter was co-signed by a group of Senate Democrats, including Tammy Duckworth (Ill.), Ben Ray Luján (N.M.), Ed Markey (Mass.), Jeff Merkley (Ore.), Tina Smith (Minn.), Chris Van Hollen (Md.), Richard Blumenthal (Conn.), Cory Booker (N.J.), and Ron Wyden (Ore.). The senators say the department has repeatedly refused to cooperate with their months-long investigation into DOGE’s activities and access privileges.

The letter alleges that the department has declined to clarify whether DOGE was granted entry to highly sensitive systems such as the National Student Loan Data System. “They refused to disclose the scope of DOGE’s access,” the senators wrote to Acting Inspector General René L. Rocque.

Earlier this year, Elon Musk and his DOGE team were given access to several federal agencies as part of a broader White House initiative to cut costs and downsize bureaucracy. The team was assigned to conduct audits and recommend structural overhauls — including a potential dismantling of the Education Department.

At a recent House Appropriations Committee hearing, Education Secretary Linda McMahon defended DOGE’s presence, claiming their access was equivalent to that of regular agency employees. She described DOGE’s work as “a solid audit” aimed at identifying inefficiencies and curbing fraud.

Warren is scheduled to meet McMahon for the first time in the coming days. She has submitted dozens of questions in advance, covering a range of topics including loan forgiveness, repayment policies, and student aid access.

Warren first launched her investigation into DOGE’s influence in February, and says she has received inadequate answers. According to her letter, the department has not explained how a DOGE staffer — once granted “read-only” access — had that access revoked or whether they retained entry to other systems. The department has cited “ongoing litigation” as a reason for withholding further details.

“These responses only deepen our concerns,” Warren and her colleagues concluded. “There may have been violations of federal law or internal safeguards in the handling of sensitive borrower data.”

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