FEDERALhearing transcript

Congressional Hearing on FOIA Transparency at the Department of Homeland Security

Original title: THE PUBLIC'S RIGHT TO KNOW: FOIA AT THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

January 1, 2020

FOIA Department of Homeland Security Government Transparency Oversight Public Records

Track this bill to get notified when it advances a stage. One tap to stop, anytime.

The Frame

What this does

The hearing examines the efficiency and transparency of the DHS in processing public records requests, which directly impacts the ability of citizens, journalists, and researchers to access information about government operations.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

Department of Homeland Security

The agency is subject to oversight regarding its internal processes for fulfilling public information requests.

General Public

The public relies on FOIA processes to obtain government records and information.

What changed

Last recorded activity January 1, 2020.

What's next

Next step not available in the current record.

Summary

This hearing transcript documents a 2019 Congressional review of how the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) manages Freedom of Information Act () requests. Lawmakers and agency officials discussed the agency's performance in providing public access to government records.

Key Facts

The hearing took place on October 17, 2019, in the Cannon House Office Building.
The Subcommittee on Oversight, Management, and Accountability conducted the review.
The hearing focused on the implementation of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) within the Department of Homeland Security.
Witnesses included representatives from the DHS Privacy Office, USCIS, the National Archives and Records Administration, and the Government Accountability Office.
The hearing record includes supplemental statements from academic experts and various transparency advocacy organizations.

Why It Matters

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the purpose of this hearing?

To examine how the Department of Homeland Security handles public requests for government records under the Freedom of Information Act.

Who testified at this hearing?

Officials from the DHS Privacy Office, USCIS, the National Archives, and the Government Accountability Office provided testimony.

News Coverage

No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.

Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

cross reference90% confidence

Broad Stakeholder Interest

The hearing record includes a joint statement from a wide coalition of transparency advocacy groups, indicating high external interest in DHS FOIA performance.

American Oversight Electronic Frontier Foundation Project On Government Oversight

Connected Entities

personXochitl Torres Small“Chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Oversight, Management, and Accountability”Map →

personVijay A. D'Souza“Director at the Government Accountability Office”Map →

personJames V.M.L. Holzer“Deputy Chief FOIA Officer at DHS”Map →

personDan Crenshaw“Ranking Member of the Subcommittee”Map →

personAlina M. Semo“Director of the Office of Government Information Services”Map →

organizationDepartment of Homeland Security“The primary agency under review for its FOIA implementation”Map →

personTammy Meckley“Associate Director at USCIS”Map →

Sources

Open source document

www.govinfo.gov

Analysis Score

0–100

Significance60
How much this matters to a regular citizen
Controversy40
Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
Entertainment10
Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
Buzz15
Current news / social attention level

Publisher tools