ACLU of Virginia, et. al v. U.S. Department of Homeland Security, et. al

Seeking Enforcement of FOIA Request

On February 2, 2017, the American Civil Liberties Unions of Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Virginia (the “ACLU”) submitted a Freedom of Information Act (“FOIA”) request seeking records about the implementation of President Trump’s January 27, 2017 Executive Order (“Executive Order”) by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (“CBP”), Titled “Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry Into the United States.” The Executive Order halted refugee admissions and barred entrants from seven predominantly Muslim countries from entering the United States. Therefore, under the FOIA, the ACLU sought information regarding CBP’s local implementation of the Executive Order at international airports and ports of entry within the purview of the Baltimore Field Office. To date, the ACLU has not received a response its FOIA request (not even an acknowledgement of receipt). Therefore, along with Delaware, Pennsylvania and Maryland affiliates (and in concert with other affiliates around the country), the ACLU of Virginia filed a Complaint on April 12, 2017 to seek enforcement of the FOIA request.