Privacy experts and civil rights groups warn of massive surveillance push
In an unprecedented move that has civil rights advocates and privacy experts on high alert, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), under the Trump administration, is aggregating sensitive federal data to identify, track, and remove undocumented immigrants from U.S. housing and employment. According to whistleblowers and agency insiders, the data sweep could affect millions of individuals, citizens and non-citizens alike.
The initiative, which critics say weaponizes government records for immigration enforcement, pulls from agencies including the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Social Security Administration (SSA), and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Experts warn that it risks widespread privacy violations and erodes trust in federal programs designed to support American communities.
A master database to monitor and remove
DOGE operatives are currently building a “master database” using previously siloed government data to identify undocumented immigrants by name, Social Security number, tax filings, and even biometric data. According to WIRED, the system integrates records from USCIS, SSA, the IRS, and even state voting databases from Florida and Pennsylvania. This vast repository could soon enable real-time geolocation and surveillance of targeted individuals.
“This isn’t about efficiency but control,” says Victoria Noble of the Electronic Frontier Foundation. “Centralizing this data could allow agencies to go after people not based on criminal behavior, but on immigration status, beliefs, or simple administrative errors.”
Mixed-status families at risk in public housing
Among the most immediate impacts is a proposed HUD rule targeting mixed-status families and households where some members are U.S. citizens or legal residents and others are undocumented. Under current rules, these families receive prorated benefits and are legally allowed to reside in public housing.
Now, DOGE officials at HUD, led by staffer Mike Mirski, are pushing to evict such families altogether. Cities like New York and Chicago are being prioritized, with housing authorities hosting internal webinars on how to respond if immigration agents show up at their doors.
“There are tens of thousands of ineligible individuals in HUD housing,” said HUD spokeswoman Kasey Lovett. “That more than likely translates to illegal aliens.”
Growing concerns about oversight and errors
Critics fear that the initiative is not only legally questionable but also technically flawed. Reports suggest DOGE staffers lack the training to properly interpret the complex datasets they are manipulating. Mistakes could have life-altering consequences.
In March, a Salvadoran man was mistakenly deported due to a so-called administrative error. The Supreme Court ordered his return, but the administration has refused to comply.
Further controversy surrounds DOGE’s actions within the SSA and Education Department, where officials sought detailed information about individuals’ immigration and protest activity. The agency’s efforts were so concerning that a federal judge temporarily blocked DOGE from accessing sensitive SSA data.
“There is no transparency, no accountability, and no guarantee that these data-driven decisions are correct,” said Cody Venzke, a senior counsel at the ACLU. “That’s a dangerous place for any democracy.”
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