FOIA Advisor

Court opinion issued May 31, 2022

Court Opinions (2015-2023)Allan BlutsteinComment

Am. Civil Liberties Union of Me. Found. v. USCIS (D. Me.) -- concluding that: (1) agency reasonably declined to search thousands of A-Files for certain requested documents because search would be too burdensome, and that agency’s search for other records was adequate; (2) agency properly withheld records pursuant to Exemption 5’s deliberative process privilege and Exemption (7C); (3) agency properly relied on Exemption 6 to withhold asylum applicant names, addresses, names of relatives, and addresses of relatives, but improperly withheld citizenship information, country of origin, political affiliation, roles in political elections, and religious affiliation; and (4) agency properly invoked Exemption 7(E) to withhold certain records related to detecting fraudulent asylum applications, but ordering disclosure or in camera review for other withheld records.

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