June 09, 2025

Warren, Senators Find DOGE Employee Gained Access to Sensitive Education Department Data, Push for Independent Investigation

“The full extent of DOGE’s role and influence at ED remains unknown…” “This [is]... dangerous for... an agency that handles an extensive student loan portfolio and a range of federal aid programs for higher education.”

Text of Letter (PDF)

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) led senators in pushing the Acting Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Education (ED) to open an investigation into new information obtained by her office revealing that DOGE may have gained access to “two of [Federal Student Aid] FSA’s internal systems: Financial Management System (FMS) and Partner Connect,” in addition to sensitive borrower data. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) joined the letter as well.

Following DOGE’s “takeover” of ED, the senators opened an investigation into the matter. In response, ED disclosed that DOGE supported a review of FSA’s contracts, and to conduct this review, ED granted “one employee [] read-only access” to two of FSA’s internal systems, which both hold sensitive personal information for people on Title IV loan and grant programs. 

ED also disclosed that it had since “revoked” that employee’s access to both of those systems. Alarmingly, ED did not indicate why the DOGE employee’s access had been revoked, whether this employee has retained access to any other ED databases, and what actions the Department has done to ensure that student loan borrowers’ sensitive information would not be released or misused.

“Because of the Department’s refusal to provide full and complete information, the full extent of DOGE’s role and influence at ED remains unknown,” wrote the senators. “This lack of clarity is not only frustrating for borrowers but also dangerous for the future of an agency that handles an extensive student loan portfolio and a range of federal aid programs for higher education.”

The senators are requesting that the ED OIG conduct a review to determine whether ED adhered to the Privacy Act, and also determine the impact of DOGE’s new plans to consolidate Americans’ personal information across government databases.

Senator Warren launched the Save Our Schools campaign in a coordinated effort to fight back against President Trump’s attempts to abolish the Department of Education:

  • On May 20, 2025, Senator Warren and 27 other senators pushed for full funding for the Office of Federal Student Aid.

  • On May 14, 2025, Senator Warren led a Senate forum entitled “Stealing the American Dream: How Trump and Republicans Are Raising Education Costs for Families,” highlighting the consequences of Secretary Linda McMahon’s reckless dismantling of the Department of Education (ED) and President Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” for working- and middle-class students and borrowers.

  • On May 13, 2025, Senator Warren agreed to meet with Education Secretary Linda McMahon and promised to bring questions and stories from Americans across the country to highlight how the Trump administration’s attacks on education are hurting American families.

  • On May 6, 2025, Senator Elizabeth Warren highlighted the consequences of President Trump and Secretary Linda McMahon’s reckless dismantling of the Department of Education for American families in a Senate forum.

  • On April 24, 2025, Senator Warren launched a new investigation into the harms of President Trump’s attacks on the Department of Education, seeking information on the impact of the Trump administration’s actions from the members of twelve leading organizations representing schools, parents, teachers, students, borrowers, and researchers.

  • On April 10, 2025, following a request led by Senator Warren, the Department of Education’s Acting Inspector General agreed to open an investigation into the Trump administration’s attempts to dismantle the Department of Education.

  • On April 2, 2025, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Mazie Hirono, along with Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, sent a letter to Secretary of Education Linda McMahon regarding the Department of Government Efficiency’s proposed plan to replace the Department of Education’s federal student aid call centers with generative artificial intelligence chatbots.

  • On April 2, 2025, Senator Elizabeth Warren launched the Save Our Schools campaign to fight back against the Trump administration’s efforts to dismantle the Department of Education (ED) and highlight the consequences for every student and public school in America.

  • On March 27, 2025, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) led a letter to Acting Department of Education Inspector General (IG) René Rocque requesting that the IG conduct an investigation of the Trump Administration’s attempts to dismantle the Department of Education.

  • On March 20, 2025, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders led a letter to Secretary of Education Linda McMahon regarding the Trump Administration’s decision to slash the capacity of Federal Student Aid to handle student aid complaints.

  • On February 24, 2025, in a response to Senator Warren, Secretary McMahon gave her first public admission that she “wholeheartedly” agreed with Trump’s plans to abolish the Department of Education.

  • On February 11, 2025, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Andy Kim sent Linda McMahon, Secretary-Designate for the U.S. Department of Education, a 12-page letter with 65 questions on McMahon's policy views in advance of her nomination hearing.

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