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Case TitleCENTER FOR IMMIGRATION STUDIES v. US IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT
DistrictDistrict of Columbia
CityWashington, DC
Case Number1:2021cv01761
Date Filed2021-06-30
Date Closed2024-04-29
JudgeJudge Amit P. Mehta
PlaintiffCENTER FOR IMMIGRATION STUDIES
Case DescriptionThe Center for Immigration Studies submitted a FOIA request to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for records concerning a list of specific employees and a list of keywords, focused particularly on OPT employment practices. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request but after hearing nothing further from the agency, CIS filed suit.
Complaint issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Adequacy - Search, Litigation - Vaughn index, Litigation - Attorney's fees

DefendantUS IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT
DefendantU.S. IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT
Documents
Docket
Complaint
Complaint attachment 1
Complaint attachment 2
Complaint attachment 3
Complaint attachment 4
User-contributed Documents
 
Docket Events (Hide)
Date FiledDoc #Docket Text

2021-06-301COMPLAINT against US IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT ( Filing fee $ 402 receipt number ADCDC-8569328) filed by CENTER FOR IMMIGRATION STUDIES. (Attachments: # 1 Civil Cover Sheet, # 2 Summons US Attorney, # 3 Summons Attorney General, # 4 Summons Defendant)(Axelrod, Julie) (Entered: 06/30/2021)
2021-07-01Case Assigned to Judge Amit P. Mehta. (adh, ) (Entered: 07/01/2021)
2021-07-012SUMMONS (3) Issued Electronically as to US IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General (Attachment: # 1 Notice and Consent)(adh, ) (Entered: 07/01/2021)
2021-07-073ERRATA Summons for US attorney filed twice instead of Summons for Attorney General by CENTER FOR IMMIGRATION STUDIES re 2 Summons Issued Electronically as to AUSA. (Axelrod, Julie) (Entered: 07/07/2021)
2021-07-074LCvR 26.1 CERTIFICATE OF DISCLOSURE of Corporate Affiliations and Financial Interests by CENTER FOR IMMIGRATION STUDIES (Axelrod, Julie) (Entered: 07/07/2021)
2021-07-095SUMMONS (1) Issued Electronically as to U.S. Attorney General (eg) (Entered: 07/09/2021)
2021-07-206RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed as to the United States Attorney. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney on 7/16/2021. Answer due for ALL FEDERAL DEFENDANTS by 8/15/2021. (Axelrod, Julie) (Entered: 07/20/2021)
2021-07-207RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed on United States Attorney General. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney General 7/16/2021. (Axelrod, Julie) (Entered: 07/20/2021)
2021-07-208RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. US IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT served on 7/15/2021 (Axelrod, Julie) (Entered: 07/20/2021)
2021-08-169NOTICE of Appearance by Daniel Patrick Schaefer on behalf of US IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT (Schaefer, Daniel) (Entered: 08/16/2021)
2021-08-1610ANSWER to Complaint by US IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT.(Schaefer, Daniel) (Entered: 08/16/2021)
2021-08-1711MINUTE ORDER. Both a Complaint and an Answer are now before the court in this FOIA case. It is hereby ordered that the parties shall meet and confer and file a Joint Status Report on or before August 31, 2021. The Joint Status Report shall include (1) the status of Plaintiff's FOIA request; (2) the anticipated number of documents responsive to Plaintiff's FOIA request; (3) the anticipated date(s) for release of the documents requested by Plaintiff; (4) whether a motion for stay is likely under Open America v. Watergate Special Prosecution Force, 547 F.2d 605 (D.C. Cir. 1976); and (5) whether the parties anticipate summary judgment briefing and, if so, a proposed briefing schedule. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 08/31/2021. (lcapm2) (Entered: 08/17/2021)
2021-08-3112Joint STATUS REPORT by CENTER FOR IMMIGRATION STUDIES. (Axelrod, Julie) (Entered: 08/31/2021)
2021-09-08MINUTE ORDER. The parties shall file an additional Joint Status Report by November 29, 2021, which addresses Defendant's searches, records processing, and productions, as well as the search parameters for Part 2 of Plaintiff's request. Defendant shall process 500 pages per month, with the first production to occur no later than September 17, 2021. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 9/8/2021. (lcapm2) (Entered: 09/08/2021)
2021-11-2913STATUS REPORT by U.S. IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Schaefer, Daniel) (Entered: 11/29/2021)
2021-11-2914STATUS REPORT by CENTER FOR IMMIGRATION STUDIES. (Axelrod, Julie) (Entered: 11/29/2021)
2021-11-30MINUTE ORDER. The parties shall file an additional Joint Status Report by January 7, 2022, which updates the court on efforts to reach resolution as to part II of Plaintiff's FOIA request. The parties also shall file a Joint Status Report by February 11, 2022, which advises whether any disputes remain concerning part I of the request and, if so, proposes a schedule for further proceedings. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 11/30/2021. (lcapm2) (Entered: 11/30/2021)
2022-01-0715Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Schaefer, Daniel) (Entered: 01/07/2022)
2022-01-10MINUTE ORDER. Upon consideration of the parties' joint status report, the Court adopts the parties' proposed schedule. The parties shall also include in their next scheduled Joint Status Report on February 11, 2022, an update on the status of Defendant's search for Part II of the request and of the parties' ongoing efforts to negotiate a production schedule for that part of the request. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 1/10/2022. (lcapm2) (Entered: 01/10/2022)
2022-02-1116Joint STATUS REPORT by CENTER FOR IMMIGRATION STUDIES. (Axelrod, Julie) (Entered: 02/11/2022)
2022-02-18MINUTE ORDER. The parties shall submit an additional Joint Status Report by March 11, 2022. If in the interim, the parties reach loggerheads about Part II of the FOIA request (as they appear to be) and intend to litigate the reasonableness of Part II of the request, Defendant shall begin production of a Vaughn Index for Part I of the request. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 2/18/2022. (lcapm2) (Entered: 02/18/2022)
2022-03-1117Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Schaefer, Daniel) (Entered: 03/11/2022)
2022-03-14MINUTE ORDER. The parties shall file an additional Joint Status Report by April 11, 2022. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 3/14/2022. (lcapm2) (Entered: 03/14/2022)
2022-04-1118Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Schaefer, Daniel) (Entered: 04/11/2022)
2022-04-12MINUTE ORDER. The parties shall file an additional Joint Status Report by May 11, 2022. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 4/12/2022. (lcapm2) (Entered: 04/12/2022)
2022-04-12Set/Reset Deadlines: Status Report due by 5/11/2022 (zjch, ) (Entered: 04/13/2022)
2022-05-1119Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Schaefer, Daniel) (Entered: 05/11/2022)
2022-05-12MINUTE ORDER. The parties shall file an additional Joint Status Report by June 10, 2022. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 5/12/2022. (lcapm2) (Entered: 05/12/2022)
2022-06-1020Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Schaefer, Daniel) (Entered: 06/10/2022)
2022-06-10MINUTE ORDER. The parties shall file an additional Joint Status Report by August 8, 2022. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 6/10/2022. (lcapm2) (Entered: 06/10/2022)
2022-08-0221Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Schaefer, Daniel) (Entered: 08/02/2022)
2022-08-02MINUTE ORDER. The parties shall file an additional Joint Status Report by October 7, 2022. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 8/2/22. (lcapm2) (Entered: 08/02/2022)
2022-10-0622Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Schaefer, Daniel) (Entered: 10/06/2022)
2022-10-07MINUTE ORDER. The parties shall file an additional Joint Status Report by December 5, 2022. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 10/07/22. (lcapm2) (Entered: 10/07/2022)
2022-10-07MINUTE ORDER granting Plaintiffs' 226 Unopposed Motion to Extend Time to File Reply in Support of Summary Judgement. Plaintiffs' Reply shall now be due on or before October 21, 2022. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 10/07/2022. (lcapm2) (Entered: 10/07/2022)
2022-10-1623NOTICE OF SUBSTITUTION OF COUNSEL by Sian Jones on behalf of All Defendants Substituting for attorney Daniel Schaefer (Jones, Sian) (Entered: 10/16/2022)
2022-12-0524Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Jones, Sian) (Entered: 12/05/2022)
2022-12-06MINUTE ORDER. The parties shall file an additional Joint Status Report by January 10, 2023. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 12/06/2022. (lcapm2) (Entered: 12/06/2022)
2023-01-1025Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Jones, Sian) (Entered: 01/10/2023)
2023-01-11MINUTE ORDER. The parties shall file an additional Joint Status Report by February 9, 2023. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 1/11/2023. (lcapm2) (Entered: 01/11/2023)
2023-02-0926Joint STATUS REPORT by CENTER FOR IMMIGRATION STUDIES. (Axelrod, Julie) (Entered: 02/09/2023)
2023-02-09MINUTE ORDER. The parties shall file an additional Joint Status Report by March 13, 2023, which updates the court on the status of settlement, unless a stipulation of dismissal is filed before that date. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 2/9/2023. (lcapm2) (Entered: 02/09/2023)
2023-02-10RESOLVED...NOTICE of Provisional/Government Not Certified Status re 26 Joint STATUS REPORT by CENTER FOR IMMIGRATION STUDIES. (Axelrod, Julie). Your attorney renewal/government certification has not been received. As a result, your membership with the U.S. District & Bankruptcy Courts for the District of Columbia is not in good standing, and you are not permitted to file. Pursuant to Local Civil Rule 83.9, you must immediately correct your membership status by following the appropriate instructions on this page of our website: https://www.dcd.uscourts.gov/attorney-renewal. Please be advised that the presiding judge in this case has been notified that you are currently not in good standing to file in this court. Renewal Due by 2/17/2023. (zbaj) Modified on 2/15/2023 (zbaj). (Entered: 02/10/2023)
2023-03-1027STIPULATION of Dismissal by U.S. IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT. (Jones, Sian) (Entered: 03/10/2023)
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