Protect Our Personal Data from Big Brother

Protect the personal data of Americans from unchecked government access and inter-agency sharing. Recent actions by the Trump administration have shattered long-standing norms around handling Americans' personal information. DOGE has received access to sensitive data, including social security numbers, addresses, medical histories, tax histories, welfare benefits, bank accounts, immigration statuses, and federal employee databases. These actions have eliminated data silos that historically kept information within the agencies that collected it. These actions bring the country closer to a surveillance state. They are creating an enormous centralized repository—a gold mine for domestic and foreign hackers. Concerns over privacy will discourage people from using essential government services like calling the police, seeking health care, or filing taxes. In late March, an executive order gave agency heads 30 days to remove barriers to sharing non-classified information, including federally funded state program data such as Medicaid, SNAP, and block grants. The U.S. Department of Agriculture asked states for data on 42 million SNAP recipients, including names, dates of birth, social security numbers, and addresses, a request currently paused due to legal challenges. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services handed over personal data of millions of Medicaid enrollees in Blue states to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The IRS and DHS struck a deal enabling the IRS to share current addresses of migrants ordered removed from the country. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services began increasing social media surveillance of posts deemed "anti-American". Hiring Palantir to centralize and organize data further exacerbates concerns about who gains access to these troves of personal information. The risk of abuse as outweighing any potential gains from breaking down data silos, stressing that federal agencies should only access data to the extent they need to perform their duties for the American people. Congress must act now. I urge you to introduce and support legislation that reaffirms and strengthens personal data privacy protections; restores and reinforces the principle of data segregation between federal agencies; requires strict definitions for government access to personal data; establishes oversight of and accountability for any government agency handling sensitive personal information; and prevents the creation of centralized, comprehensive databases of American citizens' personal information. Our privacy is a fundamental right and essential for maintaining trust in government and protecting against overreach. Please prioritize legislation that safeguards our personal data.