Social Security Whistleblower Resigns Over Alleged Data Mishandling by DOGE

SSA’s chief data officer Charles Borges resigns after alleging DOGE mishandled sensitive data of over 300 million Americans.

SSA’s chief data officer quits, alleging DOGE mishandled Social Security data of millions, creating major privacy and security concerns.

Social Security Whistleblower Resigns Over Alleged Data Mishandling by DOGE

WASHINGTON: A senior Social Security Administration (SSA) official has resigned after filing a whistleblower complaint alleging that the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) mishandled highly sensitive personal data belonging to more than 300 million Americans.

Charles Borges, who served as the SSA’s chief data officer since January, submitted his resignation on Friday, citing what he described as a hostile work environment following his disclosure. In his complaint, Borges accused DOGE officials of uploading Social Security data—including health, banking, and personal biographic information—to a cloud account lacking federal oversight.

In his resignation letter to SSA Commissioner Frank Bisignano, Borges said that since filing the complaint, he has faced exclusion, internal strife, and conditions that made his role “impossible to perform legally and ethically.” He added that the experience caused him “physical, mental, and emotional distress.”

The Project Government Accountability Office, which is representing Borges, published his resignation letter. His attorney, Andrea Meza, said Borges could no longer serve “in good conscience” but would continue cooperating with oversight bodies.

Borges warned that the alleged mishandling could leave Americans vulnerable to widespread identity theft, benefit disruptions, and potentially force the government to reissue every American a new Social Security number—at enormous cost.

DOGE, created under President Donald Trump’s administration to combat waste and fraud, has come under scrutiny for its unprecedented access to federal data. Earlier this year, labor and retiree groups sued the SSA for granting DOGE access to Social Security records, but a divided appeals court upheld the arrangement.

The SSA has not commented on Borges’ resignation or the allegations raised in his complaint.