Elon Musk's government efficiency department was not immediately blocked from firing federal workers or accessing databases by a judge on Tuesday, but the case called into doubt his apparent unconstrained authority as a top deputy to President Donald Trump.

Over a dozen states asked Washington-based U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan to bar the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, from accessing computer systems at seven federal agencies or purging government workers during litigation. Chutkan denied the request, as MSN News reported.

Musk, the world's richest person, leads DOGE, which is implementing the Republican president's federal government downsizing and overhaul initiatives.

In her decision, Chutkan wrote that the states "legitimately call into question what appears to be the unchecked authority of an unelected individual and an entity that was not created by Congress and over which it has no oversight."

More From the Judge

However, the judge ruled that the states had not demonstrated a compelling reason to warrant an immediate restraining order.

The lawsuit aimed to prevent DOGE from accessing information systems or terminating employees at the Office of Personnel Management, the Department of Labor, Education, Health and Human Services, Energy, Transportation, and Commerce.

Chutkan may ultimately rule in favor of the states; however, she stated in her ruling that their request for an emergency court order was excessively broad and speculative.

Requests for comment were not promptly addressed by White House representatives.

In a statement, Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes, who was one of the officials who brought the case, stated that her office will "continue to fight in court to protect the rights of all Arizonans from unconstitutional executive overreach."

From the Other Side

DOGE has eliminated thousands of positions and programs in federal agencies since Trump's reelection, with Musk in charge of eliminating unnecessary expenditures as part of his government revamp.

The states asserted that Musk had the power of a government officer who must be nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate under the Appointments Clause of the U.S. Constitution.

They claimed that DOGE's conduct jeopardized states' educational and other programs because Congress has not authorized it.

Musk's Team

Allegedly, Musk's group directed the termination of some of the nation's 2.3 million federal employees and gained unauthorized access to agency data, according to the lawsuit.

More than a dozen states have filed it, and Arizona, New Mexico, and Michigan's attorneys general have announced it.

"The court is aware that DOGE’s unpredictable actions have resulted in considerable uncertainty and confusion for Plaintiffs and many of their agencies and residents. But the 'possibility' that defendants may take actions that irreparably harm plaintiffs is not enough," Chutkan said.