FOIA Lawsuit Seeks Information On International Religious Freedom Press Briefing

A Freedom of Information Act lawsuit was filed this week seeking State Department records relating to a March 18 press briefing on international religious freedom. The complaint (full text) in Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press v. U.S. Department of State, (D DC, filed 7/17/2019), alleges that the State Department press corps was excluded from the briefing, and they were denied a transcript of the briefing,  a list of faith-based media that were invited, and the criteria used to determine those who were invited. Reporters Committee issued a press release announcing the filing of the lawsuit.

FOIA Suit Seeks Information On Border Searches of Muslims

A Muslim advocacy organization this week filed a Freedom of Information Act suit in federal district court.  The complaint (full text) in Muslim Advocates v. U.S. Department of Homeland Security, (D DC, file 5/2/2017) alleges that plaintiff is seeking:

documents and information relating to the government’s border searches of electronic devices in the possession of persons from the seven Muslim-majority countries covered by President Donald Trump’s January 27, 2017 Executive Order, in addition to its border searches of electronic devices in the possession of persons – including U.S. citizens – whom U.S. Customs and Border Protection (“CBP”) agents perceived to be Muslim. As discussed widely in news reports, these searches – which may include the physical retention of an individual’s electronic devices and demand for their passwords – appear to have dramatically increased following the issuance of the Executive Order.

Courthouse News Service reports on the lawsuit.

FOIA Suit Seeks All State Department Records On Combating Genocide

Yesterday, a conservative civil rights and religious liberty advocacy group filed a lawsuit seeking to enforce its Freedom of Information Act request for all State Department records and communications reflecting efforts to carry out the terms of the Genocide Convention, to hold ISIS accountable for atrocities it has committed, and to respond to the ISIS genocide of Christians.  The complaint (full text) in American Center for Law & Justice v. U.S. Department of State, (D DC, filed 8/30/2016), sets out in 22 paragraphs the scope of the records sought in its July 18 FOIA request sent to the State Department, and adds that the State Department "has a reputation for flaunting and disregarding its public accountability and FOIA obligations." The lawsuit follows actions by ACLJ in recent weeks pressing the United Nations to take action to respond to ISIS genocide against Christians and others.

Court Says Muslim Surveillance Documents May Not Be Withheld Under FOIA "Law Enforcement" Exemption

In ACLU of North California v. FBI, (ND CA, March 23, 2015), in a Freedom of Information Act suit, a California federal district court held that the FBI cannot use the exemption for records compiled for law enforcement purposes to withhold documents relating to the investigation and surveillance of Muslim communities, and collection of ethnic and racial data, in Northern California. The court said:

In short, the FBI employs many various techniques to combat unlawful activity, some of which, if publicly disclosed, would undermine their effectiveness. 

That this may well be true does not, without more, permit the FBI to apply Exemption 7 [the "law enforcement" exemption] to withhold or redact information about such tactics, however. Neither the Hardy declarations nor the FBI’s pleadings tether the activities the withheld documents concern to the enforcement of any particular law....  Exemption 7 is not the appropriate umbrella under which to shield these documents from public view.

The ACLU's blog has more information on the decision.