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Directing Requests to Proper Components

Top 5 FOIA Requests

  • Alien File: Requests for any documents in the alien file should be sent to the USCIS FOIA officer.
  • Contracts If you are seeking a copy of a contract, you must provide either a valid solicitation or contract number. These can be found at Federal Business Opportunities or the Federal Procurement Data System (FPDS). Requests with valid contract or solicitation numbers should be sent directly to the component administering the contract. If you do not know the component administering the contract, please contact the DHS Director, Disclosure & FOIA., for proper routing information. In addition to including the contract/solicitation number, please include the common title of the contract or service being provided by the contract.
  • Disaster-Relief:   Requests for National Flood Insurance Program Records and Disaster Relief should be sent to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
  • Grants:  Requests for Domestic Preparedness Grant records should be sent to (FEMA). For all other grants, submit requests to the DHS Director, Disclosure & FOIA.
  • TRIP & No-Fly: – Request requirements and an optional request form are available on the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) FOIA page.

For more information on the following please contact the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE):

  • Information pertaining to contracts at detainee facilities
  • Statistics on people in particular detention & removal facilities
  • Project “Return to sender”
  • Inspection of detainee facilities
  • Worksite enforcement statistics or projects
  • Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) statistics
  • Immigration & Customs Enforcement policies, handbooks and directives

Enforcement records should be requested from the ICE Freedom of Information Act Officer including the following:

  • Records on aliens or detainees
  • Information pertaining to human trafficking/smuggling
  • Information pertaining to gangs
  • Information pertaining to child pornography investigations, “Operation Predator”
  • Information pertaining to arrest reports or other records pertaining to ICE investigations

Asylum Application Files:

Border Patrol Requests:

Genealogy Records:

  • Immigration records related to your family history: submit your request to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Please provide as much identifying information as possible including timeframe of arrival, port of entry, alien registration number, complete name, birth date (and death date, if applicable) and location.

Travel and Border Crossing Documents:  If you are requesting documents associated with traveling to or from the United States, secondary searches, or other travel related issues, you may need to submit your request to one or more of the following DHS components:

Other Information Requests:

This page was last reviewed/modified on December 28, 2007.