Open government advocates
argue that the reality has not matched this rhetoric, although some
federal agencies have improved their response to FOIA requests.
Who
Can File?
Anyone can file a FOIA request. You do not need to be a U.S. citizen.
The Act gives any person the right to request and receive access
to any document, file, or other record in the possession of any
federal government agency, subject to exemptions. You can ask the
FBI for any information they have on you, or you can ask the CIA
what they have on your peace group. You can also request records
that may be of interest to your advocacy work from various agencies.
What
About State and Local Government Records?
The Freedom of Information Act doesn't apply to state and local
governments; each state has its own laws and procedures regarding
disclosure of records, but sometimes it is easier to get information
from state and local governments. A major component of post 9/11
law enforcement has been the push to share information across agencies
and up and down levels of government. Information gathered by your
local police may find its way up the ladder to state and federal
police agencies. Documents released by state and local agencies
can help give us a better picture of the information sharing environment,
so you are encouraged to request information from all levels of
government.
President's
Memorandum on FOIA January 21, 2009
Attorney
General FOIA Guidelines March 19, 2009
FOIA
request templates
Use these letters as
a starting point for your request for information about yourself
and other information:. You should include the certification of
identity with each letter. Save a copy of every request you send.
You should receive a response withing 20 working days of your request.
Certification
of Identity
Instructions
for filling out these forms
FBI
Headquarters
CIA link to CIA
FOIA webpage
Department of Homeland Security link
to DHS FOIA
webpage
NSA (National Security Agency) link to
NSA
FOIA webpage
TSA (Transportation
Safety Administration) link to TSA
FOIA webpage
U.S. Park Police
D.C. Metro Police
Virginia State Police
Maryland State Police
The letters are in Word
format so you can download them and customize them.
Appeal
Letters
Sometimes
an agency denies your request, but you are allowed to appeal. Writing
an appeal letter is pretty simple, and you are encouraged to do
so. Find a sample appeal letter here.
If the agency
does not respond to your request within 20 working days, you should
send an overdue response reminder. Find a sample letter here.
Useful
FOIA Resources
The
Freedom of Information Clearinghouse at Public Citizen - How to
file a FOIA request -- a guide
FOIA
letter generator at Reporters Committee for a Free Press (for federal,
state and local agencies)
Hosting
A FOIA Party
Filing a request for
information is pretty straightforward, and many activists have "always
meant to do it". We want to make it easy, and maybe even fun.
You can plan a seperate event, or set aside some time at an upcoming
meeting for participants to write their letters. You can use the
templates below as models for your letters. Check out the Reporters
Committee for a Free Press to find out about rules and procedures
specific to your state and locale.
Our goal is to compile
information revealed through FOIA parties around the country --
so we want to hear from you! Please
sign up here to let us know you're hosting a party.
