EPIC - EPIC FOIA Cases

EPIC FOIA Cases

EPIC makes frequent use of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) to obtain information from the government about surveillance and privacy policy. Public disclosure of this information improves government oversight and accountability. It also helps ensure that the public is fully informed about the activities of government. EPIC routinely files lawsuits to force disclose of agency records that impact critical privacy interests.

EPIC FOIA Cases

EPIC v. IRS Case No. 17-670

U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia | President Trump's Tax Returns

Seeking release of President Trump's tax records in order to preserve the integrity and fairness of the tax system

Documents

EPIC's Complaint
April 15, 2017

EPIC v. DOJ Case No. 17-410

U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia | Criminal Justice Algorithms

Seeking records concerning the DOJ’s use, purchase, and study of “evidence-based assessment tools," also known as criminal justice algorithms.

Documents

EPIC's Complaint
March 7, 2017

EPIC v. ODNI Case No. 17-163

U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia | Cybersecurity

Seeking release of the Complete ODNI Assessment of the Russian interference with 2016 U.S. Presidential Election

Documents

EPIC's Complaint
January 25, 2017

Press Release
January 26, 2017

EPIC v. FBI Case No. 17-121

U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia | Cybersecurity

Seeking records related to the FBI's response to foreign cyber attacks on democratic institutions in the United States prior to the 2016 Presidential Election

Documents

EPIC's Complaint
January 18, 2017

EPIC v. FBI Case No. 16-2237

U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia | Biometric Data Transfer Memos

Seeking a secret memorandum of understanding between the FBI and DOD on transfer of biometric data

Documents

EPIC's Complaint
November 10, 2016

EPIC v. DOJ Case No. 16-1402

U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia | Inspector General Reports

Seeking unpublished reports from the Department of Justice's Office of the Inspector General

Documents

EPIC's Complaint
July 5, 2016

EPIC v. DOT Case No. 16-634

U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia | Drone Task Force Meeting

Seeking documents related to a secret Drone Task Force meeting

Documents

EPIC's Complaint
April 4, 2016

EPIC v. DOJ Case No. 15-1955

U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia | EU-US Umbrella Agreement

Seeking the EU-US Umbrella Agreement, a framework for transatlantic data transfers between the US and the EU. The proposed goal of the Agreement is to provide data protection safeguards for personal information transferred between the EU and the US.

Documents

EPIC's Complaint
November 4, 2015

Memorandum Opinion
October 5, 2016

EPIC v. USCG Case No. 15-1527

U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia | Nationwide Automatic Identification System

Seeking records on the Nationwide Automatic Identification System, a massive maritime data collection program.

Documents

EPIC's Complaint
September 18, 2015

EPIC v. DEA Case No. 15-0667

U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia | Privacy Impact Assessments

Seeking all privacy impact assessments created by the Drug Enforcement Agency that are not currently available on the agency's website, as well as other privacy related documents created since 2007.

Documents

EPIC's Complaint
May 1, 2015

EPIC v. DHS Case No. 15-289

U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia | Fast Attribute Screening Technology (FAST)

Seeking records on a "Minority Report" style initiative that seeks to determine the probability that an individual, who is not suspected of any crime, might commit a future criminal act.

Documents

EPIC's Complaint
February 26, 2015

EPIC v. CIA Case No. 14-1645

U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia | CIA Congressional Spying

Seeking final reports of the CIA Inspector General regarding the CIA's involvement in the penetration of the Senate Intelligence Committee's computer network

Documents

EPIC's Complaint
October 1, 2014

EPIC v. DOD Case No. 14-1555

U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia | E-Voting Security Tests

Seeking penetration testing reports relating to the Department of Defense's e-voting program.

Documents

EPIC's Complaint
September 11, 2014

EPIC v. FBI Case No. 14-1311

U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia | Privacy Impact Assessments

Seeking all privacy impact assessments created by the Federal Bureau of Investigation that are not currently available on the agency's website, as well as other privacy related documents created since 2007.

Documents

EPIC's Complaint
August 1, 2014

Memorandum Opinion
February 21, 2017

EPIC v. CBP Case No. 14-1217

U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia | Analyticial Framework for Intelligence

Seeking records on a datamining program operated by Customs and Border Protection. This program would aggregate large amounts of personal data on individuals, regardless of suspicion or consent.

Documents

EPIC's Complaint
July 18, 2014

February 17, 2016

Memorandum Opinion
March 24, 2017

EPIC v. Army Case No. 14-0776

U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia | Surveillance Blimps

Seeking technical records related to giant blimps that were deployed over the Washington, D.C. metro area.

Documents

EPIC's Complaint
May 6, 2014

EPIC v. DEA Case No. 14-0317

U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia | Hemisphere

Seeking information about Hemisphere, a collaboration between the Drug Enforcement Agency and AT&T;, and the largest telephone record monitoring program reported to date.

Documents

EPIC's Complaint
February 26, 2014

Memorandum Opinion
September 13, 2016

EPIC v. DOJ Case No. 13-1961

U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia | Pen Register Oversight Reports

Seeking the reports that detail the NSA's collection of call record information from US companies, which the Justice Department has routinely prepared for Congress but never made available to the public.

Documents

EPIC's Complaint
December 9, 2013

Memorandum Opinion and Order
February 4, 2016

EPIC v. DOJ Case No. 13-1848

U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia | Office of Legal Counsel PRISM Memos

Seeking the legal analyses from the Office of Legal Counsel concerning the NSA PRISM program.

Documents

EPIC's Complaint
November 25, 2013

EPIC v. BBG Case No. 13-1362

U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia | Tor Funding

Seeking documents related to the Broadcasting Board of Governor's surveillance of internet traffic traveling through The Onion Router (Tor).

Documents

EPIC's Complaint
September 9, 2013

EPIC v. FBI Case No. 13-0442

U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia | Next Generation Identification

Seeking the FBI's technical specifications, contracts, and privacy impact assessments for the Next Generation Identification initiative, which involves the collection and use of biometrics, including facial recognition technology.

Documents

EPIC's Complaint
April 8, 2013

Memorandum and Opinion
November 5, 2014

EPIC v. Dep't of Ed. Case No. 13-0345

U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia | Private Debt Collector Privacy Act Compliance

Seeking records relating to the Department of Education's use of private debt collection.

Documents

EPIC's Complaint
March 15, 2013

EPIC v. DHS Case No. 13-0260, 14-5013

U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit | Standard Operating Procedure 303

Seeking SOP 303, a secret policy that codifies a shutdown and restoration process for use by commercial and private wireless networks during national crises.

Documents

EPIC's Complaint
February 27, 2013

D.C. Circuit Opinion
February 9, 2015

D.D.C. Opinion
November 12, 2013

EPIC v. CIA Case No. 12-2053

U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia | Domestic Surveillance

Seeking an Inspector General report concerning surveillance on muslims and persons of Arab descent by the NY police department in collaboration with the CIA.

Documents

EPIC's Complaint
December 20, 2012

EPIC v. ODNI Case No. 12-1282

U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia | Revised Guidelines

Seeking documents related to the collection and integration of detailed personal information of US persons from databases at various levels of government.

Documents

EPIC's Complaint
August 1, 2012

Memorandum Opinion
October 9, 2013

EPIC v. FBI Case No. 12-0667

U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia | Stingray/Cell Site Simulation

Seeking records related the use of a new tracking technology that records the location of cell phones even when the devices are not in use.

Documents

EPIC's Complaint
April 27, 2012

EPIC v. DHS Case No. 11-0945

U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia | Defense Contractor Monitoring

Seeking records related to a DHS program involving the monitoring of Internet traffic of certain government contractors that may take place outside the statutory authority for electronic surveillance.

Documents

EPIC's Complaint
March 1, 2012

Memorandum Opinion
August 4, 2015

EPIC v. DHS Case No. 12-333

DDC | Defense Contractor Monitoring

Seeking documents relating to a joint DHS and NSA pilot program to monitor internet traffic to defense contractors.

Documents

EPIC's Complaint
March 1, 2012

Memorandum Opinion
April 15, 2008

Attorneys Fees Opinion
November 21, 2016

EPIC v. DOJ & FBI Case No. 12-0127

U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia | Wikileaks Investigation

Seeking records about the government's investigations of Wikileaks supporters, including records obtained from Internet and financial services companies.

Documents

EPIC's Complaint
January 25, 2012

Memorandum Opinion
March 4, 2015

EPIC v. DHS Case No. 11-2261

U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia | Social Media Monitoring

Seeking records about the monitoring of news organizations and social media services by the Department of Homeland Security.

Documents

EPIC's Complaint
December 20, 2011

Order
March 4, 2013

EPIC v. DHS Case No. 11-945

U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia | Mobile Body Scanners

Seeking records about the possible expansion of the controversial airport body scanner program.

Documents

EPIC's Complaint
May 20, 2011

September 14, 2012

EPIC v. FTC Case No. 11-881

U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia | Google Streetview Investigation

Seeking records on the FTC's investigation into Google Streetview

Documents

EPIC's Complaint
May 12, 2011

EPIC v. TSA Case No. 11-0290

U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia | Body Scanner Modifications

Seeking records from the Department of Homeland Security regarding tests of airport body scanner radiation emissions and analyses of health risks, and the use of Automated Target Recognition software.

Documents

EPIC's Complaint
February 2, 2011

Memorandum Opinion
March 7, 2013

EPIC v. DHS Case No. 09-2084

U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia | Body Scanner Radiation Risks

Documents

EPIC's Complaint
November 19, 2010

Memorandum Opinion
January 12, 2011

EPIC v. NSA Case No. 10-1533, 11-5233

U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit | Google Relationship

Seeking records about the NSA's arrangement with Google regarding cybersecurity, following news reports that the agency would assist the company in analyzing network traffic.

Documents

EPIC's Complaint
September 13, 2010

D.C. Circuit Opinion
May 11, 2012

D.D.C. Opinion
July 8, 2011

EPIC v. NSA Case No. 10-0196

U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia | National Security Presidential Directive 54 on Cybersecurity Authority

Seeking NPSD 54, a Presidential Directive that grants the National Security Agency broad authority to conduct surveillance of domestic communications.

Documents

EPIC's Complaint
February 2, 2010

Memorandum Opinion
October 21, 2013

Fees Opinion
April 8, 2015

EPIC v. DOJ Case No. 09-2394

U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia | Body Scanners

Seeking records on the United States Marshals Service's use of full body scanners for courthouse security.

Documents

EPIC's Complaint
December 17, 2009

EPIC v. DHS Case No. 09-2084

U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia | Body Scanners

Seeking records from the Department of Homeland Security that directly relate to the TSA body scanner program.

Documents

EPIC's Complaint
November 5, 2009

Second Complaint
January 13, 2010

Memorandum Opinion
January 12, 2011

EPIC v. VSP Case No. 08-1357

District Court for Arlington County, Virginia | Fusion Centers

Seeking records that directly relate to alleged federal government involvement with a bill which exempts the Virginia Fusion Intelligence Center Virginia Fusion Center from Virginia privacy and government transparency laws.