The Trump administration established a policy of separating families and detaining children of immigrants arrested while attempting to enter the United States. After strong opposition, the administration claimed to have ended the policy, but children have continued to be detained. American Oversight is investigating to uncover the truth about how the family separation policy was developed and implemented from the top down.

FOIA to DOJ regarding changes to the National Crime Victim Questionnaire, which collects data on hate crimes against LGBTQ youth. American Oversight is seeking communications and memos regarding this decision, its approval, or its rationale.

American Oversight’s lawsuit on behalf of Equity Forward against the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for records reflecting communications between key agency officials and specific anti-abortion rights groups, such as Americans United for Life and the Susan B. Anthony List. This complaint also seeks communications with particular members of Congress and their staff regarding reproductive health rights.

Joint Status Report filed by Equity Forward, represented by American Oversight, in the FOIA lawsuit against HHS seeking records related to efforts to restrict the abortion rights of undocumented immigrant minors. HHS has indicated that it will take until the year 2046 to finish producing records responsive to just one portion of this FOIA request.

No records response from Office of the Deputy Secretary, Office of the General Counsel, and Office of Planning, Evaluation and Policy Development to our FOIA seeking communications regarding affirmative action with outside groups. A secondary protection contained a NRR from the Office of Communication and Outreach.

In the first year of Donald Trump’s presidency, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) ramped up raids, arrests, and deportation proceedings across the country. Some cities have welcomed ICE and CBP’s activities, while others have employed sanctuary policies to resist federal law enforcement’s immigration crackdown. Trump administration officials have praised cities that cooperate with ICE and CBP and condemned those that don’t—and may have even coordinated with politically-friendly cities and states to undermine sanctuary policies.

No records response sent in response to a series of FOIAs submitted to DOJ seeking communications related to immigration policies in states with upcoming midterms elections.

Documents from DOJ in response to our FOIA request for records associated with the announcement seeking lawyer interested in working on investigations related to race-based university admissions.

The Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division at the U.S. Department of Justice sought government attorneys on loan for its investigation into higher education affirmative action programs, an email released through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request revealed. 

American Oversight's first 6 FOIA requests of 2018 asked the Department of Education to release records of its handling of civil rights investigations and the management of the Office of Civil Rights under controversial political appointee Candice Jackson.