Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Contact:
Director
Freedom of Information Act/Privacy Act Program
425 Eye Street, N.W., 2nd Floor
ULLICO Building
Washington, D.C. 20536
(202) 514-1722
Please note: FOIA requests should be directed to the Immigration Office that maintains the records sought, if known, or to the Immigration Field Office nearest your place of residence.
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