By all appearances, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is an alphabet soup of agencies and databases — each siloed, each serving its own slice of national security. But behind the scenes, a relatively new group with a curious name — the “Department of Government Efficiency,” or DOGE — may be working to stitch those silos together into something far more sweeping.
According to two sources who spoke with WIRED, operatives from DOGE — a unit closely associated with Elon Musk — are quietly constructing a centralized database within DHS. Their goal, the sources say, is to integrate immigration records from across the sprawling department, while also pulling in information from other government agencies, such as the Social Security Administration (SSA) and even state-level voting rolls.
The result could be a powerful tool — a master file that, critics argue, could allow for unprecedented tracking, identification, and surveillance of undocumented immigrants in the United States.
The Rise of DOGE
At first glance, the “Department of Government Efficiency” sounds like a quirky startup project or a bureaucratic in-joke. In reality, it’s a real initiative reportedly operating under Musk’s direction, aimed at streamlining federal bureaucracy — or at least, reshaping it in ways that align with Musk’s own ethos of radical disruption and centralized data control.
While details remain murky, DOGE’s influence has reportedly grown since its formation. It has been embedded in parts of DHS with unusual autonomy, taking on projects that other offices either wouldn’t touch or weren’t equipped to handle. Its access to sensitive data appears to be extensive, and its involvement in immigration tracking efforts represents a serious escalation in scope and ambition.
A Centralized Database of Immigrants
According to the sources, DOGE’s current project centers on unifying fragmented immigration data across multiple arms of DHS — think ICE, CBP, and USCIS — and plugging that data into a central system. That system, once operational, could potentially allow government officials to search, cross-reference, and track undocumented immigrants with new levels of efficiency.
But it doesn’t stop there. The sources say DOGE is also integrating data from outside DHS — specifically from the SSA and, more controversially, state-level voter registration databases.
This aggregation, experts warn, could amount to a surveillance engine capable of mapping out not just immigration status, but also employment, housing, medical care, and even political activity. In other words, a comprehensive digital profile of individuals who may already be living on the margins of American society.
The Slippery Slope of Surveillance
Privacy experts are ringing alarm bells. “This kind of centralized system, especially one built in secrecy, raises all the red flags,” said a civil liberties researcher quoted by WIRED. “Combining immigration records with Social Security data and voter information opens the door to serious abuse — not just by this administration, but by future ones as well.”
The inclusion of voter data is especially fraught. While there is no evidence yet that the system is being used to monitor voting behavior or to challenge voter eligibility, the potential is there. And given the contentious political discourse around both immigration and election integrity, watchdog groups fear that even the perception of surveillance could have a chilling effect — deterring immigrants from accessing services, seeking legal recourse, or engaging in civic life.
A Legacy of Data, Reimagined
The U.S. government has long maintained immigration databases, but they’ve historically been siloed and difficult to search across agencies. This complexity has often served as a de facto privacy buffer. What DOGE appears to be doing is dismantling those barriers — building a centralized infrastructure that could make those databases interoperable and vastly more searchable.
To be fair, some DHS officials have long argued for better data integration as a way to improve immigration enforcement, reduce fraud, and streamline services. But critics say those goals shouldn’t come at the cost of transparency and due process.
“It’s not that streamlining is inherently wrong,” one immigration attorney noted. “But when it’s done behind closed doors, by a private group with no clear oversight, and with massive implications for millions of people — that’s a serious problem.”
Musk’s Digital Government Vision
Elon Musk’s involvement in federal data and governance has drawn scrutiny before. From his acquisition of X (formerly Twitter) to his ties to AI development and space infrastructure, Musk’s reach into public and private sectors is unprecedented for a tech CEO. Now, through DOGE, he appears to be pushing into yet another realm — the very machinery of state surveillance.
To some, that represents a natural extension of Musk’s techno-utopian vision — a belief that centralized data, automation, and digital tools can make government leaner, faster, and smarter. But to others, it looks less like efficiency and more like control.
What Comes Next?
It’s unclear whether DOGE’s DHS project has formal congressional oversight, or what legal checks — if any — exist on its use of integrated data. DHS did not respond to WIRED’s request for comment, and neither did representatives for Musk or DOGE.
For now, the project remains shrouded in secrecy. But the implications are vast. As with so many technological advances, the question isn’t just what can be done — it’s what should be done.
A database that can track and profile undocumented immigrants with a few keystrokes might be a dream for some corners of law enforcement. But for millions of people navigating life in legal limbo, it could feel like a trap — silent, unseen, but always watching.
