A federal judge dealt a blow to President Donald Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) on Monday, issuing a temporary restraining order that blocks the agency from accessing personal records at the U.S. Department of Education. Judge Deborah Boardman, appointed by President Joe Biden and based in Greenbelt, Maryland, sided with privacy advocates, halting DOGE’s cost-cutting sweep amid claims it oversteps legal bounds. For conservatives, this is another roadblock from activist judges trying to shield the swamp from Trump’s efficiency crusade.

Boardman’s order, effective for two weeks, bars the Education Department and the Office of Personnel Management from sharing sensitive data—think student loans, financial records, and personal info—with DOGE. The ruling came after a lawsuit from 19 Democratic attorneys general, who argue Musk’s appointment and DOGE’s operations are unconstitutional, accusing the agency of trampling privacy and overreaching its authority.

“This decision temporarily protects the personal information of millions of Americans from being handed over to an unaccountable entity like DOGE,” Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown said in a statement.

He slammed DOGE’s mission as “a shadow government” run by Elon Musk, echoing Senate Democrats’ earlier cries. The attorneys general’s case, one of over 70 lawsuits challenging Trump’s initiatives, seeks a longer-term injunction, but Boardman’s ruling buys time.

DOGE, launched by Trump on his first day back, aims to slash $2 trillion in federal spending, already claiming $55 billion in cuts by axing funding for agencies like the Education Department’s DEI programs and USAID’s overseas schemes. Musk’s push hit a snag here, with the judge citing risks to “personal sensitive information on Americans, including financial data related to federal student loans.”

Musk fired back on X, brushing off the ruling.

“This is a HUGE win!” he posted, linking to a Breitbart article on a separate DOGE victory allowing access to health and labor agency records.

Critics, including public unions and progressive groups, cheered the block, but conservatives see a pattern: Biden judges stalling Trump’s mandate to drain the swamp. The Education Department’s data, they argue, is ripe for DOGE’s axe—bloated with wasteful programs like student loan forgiveness that burden taxpayers. Posts on X blasted the ruling—one user fumed, “Another activist judge protecting Biden’s mess from Trump’s cleanup.”

Republicans aren’t deterred. DOGE’s already survived other court challenges, and Musk’s team vows to fight on, citing a Friday ruling granting access to Treasury systems as proof they’re winning. Trump’s executive order on January 20 for “emergency price relief” shows the broader push—cut waste, save cash, and prioritize Americans. With Congress backing reconciliation bills, the GOP’s ready to smash these roadblocks, ensuring DOGE can finish what it started: a leaner, meaner government for the people.