Is DOGE Digging Around in Student Data?

Just last month, Lorena Tule-Romain was encouraging families with mixed citizenship statuses to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. She and her staff at ImmSchools, a nonprofit dedicated to improving educational access for immigrants in Dallas, walked students and parents through the complicated federal aid application process. Along the way, they offered reassurance that information revealing their undocumented status would be securely held by the Department of Education alone. Two weeks ago, ImmSchools stopped offering those services. And Tule-Romain said they’re no longer recommending families fill out the FAFSA.

That’s because the Department of Government Efficiency, a White House office run by Elon Musk, now has access to Education Department data systems, potentially including sensitive student loan and financial aid information for millions of students, according to sources both outside and within the department who spoke with Inside Higher Ed.