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  • About US and FOIA
  • This is USCIS
  • Information for Congressional Offices
  • Reports and Studies
  • Freedom of Information and Privacy Acts
  • Overview
  • How to Make a FOIA Request
  • FOIA Office Addresses
  • Electronic Reading Room
  • System Notices
  • History, Genealogy, and Education
  • Transition and Restructuring
  • Procurement



  • Freedom of Information and Privacy Acts

    Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Contact:

    Conventional Reading Room:

      111 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W., 2nd Floor
      ULLICO Building
      Washington, D.C. 20536
      (202) 514-3278
      The review of paper materials require an appointment.

    Electronic Reading Room (ERR):

      The ERR includes frequently requested records, opinions, policy statements, and staff manuals/instructions to staff, created after November 1, 1996.

    Component Description:

      Three bureaus of the Department of Homeland Security are charged with the administration and enforcement of the immigration and nationality laws: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Files are maintained on all immigrants into the United States, transient visitors, undesirable aliens, violators of immigration and naturalization laws, petitioners for naturalization, and enemy aliens. Records pertaining to the investigation of illegal entry, smuggling, and fraudulent documents, as well as administration of the agency are also maintained.

    Multitrack Processing:

      FOIA requests are placed in one of two tracks. Requests for a relatively small number of specific documents that require 20 days or less to process are in the first track. Track two is for complex, voluminous requests which require more than 20 days to locate, review, and prepare the records for disclosure.

    Major Information Systems

    Department of Justice FOIA Reference Guide

    Last Modified 05/14/2004