NSD Freedom of Information Act

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, NSD has adjusted its normal operations to balance the need of completing its mission as effectively and efficiently as possible while also adhering to the recommended social distancing for the safety of our staff. As a result, you may experience a delay in receiving an initial acknowledgment as well as a substantive response to your FOIA request. We will be able to acknowledge requests made electronically more quickly than by mail. You may reach out to our FOIA Public Liaison if you have any questions about your request. We apologize for this inconvenience and appreciate your understanding and patience.

FOIA Contacts:

Arnetta Mallory, FOIA Initiatives Coordinator
National Security Division
U.S. Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Room 6150
Washington, D.C. 20530-0001
(202) 233-0754
nsdfoia@usdoj.gov

Patricia Matthews, FOIA Public Liaison
National Security Division
U.S. Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Room 6150
Washington, D.C. 20530-0001
(202) 233-0756
nsdfoia@usdoj.gov

Conventional FOIA Library:

Call (202) 514-5600 for access instructions.

FOIA Library:

The FOIA Library contains frequently requested records, opinions, policy statements, and staff manuals/instructions created by the Counterterrorism Section, the Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, the Office of Intelligence, and the Law and Policy Office after November 1, 1996.

Component Description:

Created by the reauthorization of the USA PATRIOT Act in March 2006, the National Security Division (NSD) formally began operations on October 2, 2006. NSD consolidated the national security components of the Department of Justice under a new Assistant Attorney General (the AAG for National Security). These components included the Office of Intelligence Policy and Review (now the Office of Intelligence) and the Criminal Division's Counterterrorism and Counterintelligence and Export Control Sections. NSD also includes a Law and Policy Office responsible for providing legal assistance and for formulating legislative initiatives on matters related to national security law and policy. In addition, the AAG for National Security acts as the Department's liaison with the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the Central Intelligence Agency, the Department of Defense, and other intelligence community agencies in order to improve coordination against terrorism and other threats to national security.

2011 NSD Chief FOIA Officer Report

2012 NSD Chief FOIA Officer Report

2013 NSD Chief FOIA Officer Report

DOJ Reference Guide:

A comprehensive guide to the FOIA that serves as a handbook for obtaining information from the Department.

Special Information Required to Make a FOIA Request:

• None.

Publicly Available Information for Which a FOIA Request Is Not Required:

• The Annual Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act Report to Congress, which can be found in the FOIA Library.
• The FARA Unit administers FARA, and maintains a public office.

Major Information Systems:

Foreign Intelligence and Counterintelligence Records System

Office of Intelligence Automated Secure Information System

Office of Intelligence Litigation Records System

Office of Intelligence Policy Records System