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Case TitleInternational Refugee Assistance Project, Inc. v. United States Citizenship and Immigration Services et al
DistrictSouthern District of New York
CityFoley Square
Case Number1:2024cv03431
Date Filed2024-05-03
Date ClosedOpen
JudgeMagistrate Judge Ona T. Wang
PlaintiffInternational Refugee Assistance Project, Inc.
Case DescriptionInternational Refugee Assistance Project submitted FOIA requests to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and the Department of State for records concerning the internal guidelines for recognizing informal marriages for refugees. The agencies acknowledged receipt of the request but after hearing nothing further from the agencies, IRAP filed suit.
Complaint issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Adequacy - Search, Litigation - Attorney's fees

DefendantUnited States Citizenship and Immigration Services
DefendantUS Citizenship and Immigration Services
DefendantUnited States Department of State
DefendantUS Department of State
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

2024-05-031COMPLAINT against US Citizenship and Immigration Services, US Department of State. (Filing Fee $ 405.00, Receipt Number ANYSDC-29308702)Document filed by International Refugee Assistance Project, Inc.. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit A - First FOIA Request to USCIS, # 2 Exhibit B - First FOIA Request to DOS, # 3 Exhibit C - Second FOIA Request to USCIS, # 4 Exhibit D - Second FOIA Request to DOS).(Alagesan, Deepa) (Entered: 05/03/2024)
2024-05-032FILING ERROR - PDF ERROR - CIVIL COVER SHEET filed..(Alagesan, Deepa) Modified on 5/6/2024 (jgo). (Entered: 05/03/2024)
2024-05-033RULE 7.1 CORPORATE DISCLOSURE STATEMENT. No Corporate Parent. Document filed by International Refugee Assistance Project, Inc...(Alagesan, Deepa) (Entered: 05/03/2024)
2024-05-034FILING ERROR - SUMMONS REQUEST PDF ERROR - REQUEST FOR ISSUANCE OF SUMMONS as to US Citizenship and Immigration Services, re: 1 Complaint,. Document filed by International Refugee Assistance Project, Inc...(Alagesan, Deepa) Modified on 5/6/2024 (jgo). (Entered: 05/03/2024)
2024-05-035FILING ERROR - SUMMONS REQUEST PDF ERROR - REQUEST FOR ISSUANCE OF SUMMONS as to US Department of State, re: 1 Complaint,. Document filed by International Refugee Assistance Project, Inc...(Alagesan, Deepa) Modified on 5/6/2024 (jgo). (Entered: 05/03/2024)
2024-05-06***NOTICE TO ATTORNEY REGARDING DEFICIENT CIVIL COVER SHEET. Notice to attorney Deepa Alagesan to RE-FILE Document No. 2 Civil Cover Sheet. The filing is deficient for the following reason(s): the PDF attached to the docket entry for the civil cover sheet is not correct; party names on the PDF case caption must match exactly as they appear on the pleading caption;. Re-file the document using the event type Civil Cover Sheet found under the event list Other Documents and attach the correct PDF. Use civil cover sheet issued by S.D.N.Y. dated October 1, 2020. The S.D.N.Y. Civil Cover Sheet dated October 1, 2020 is located at http://nysd.uscourts.gov/file/forms/civil-cover-sheet.. (jgo) (Entered: 05/06/2024)
2024-05-06***NOTICE TO ATTORNEY REGARDING PARTY MODIFICATION. Notice to attorney Deepa Alagesan. The party information for the following party/parties has been modified: US Citizenship and Immigration Services; US Department of State. The information for the party/parties has been modified for the following reason/reasons: party name contained a typographical error;. (jgo) (Entered: 05/06/2024)
2024-05-06CASE OPENING INITIAL ASSIGNMENT NOTICE: The above-entitled action is assigned to Judge John P. Cronan. Please download and review the Individual Practices of the assigned District Judge, located at https://nysd.uscourts.gov/judges/district-judges . Attorneys are responsible for providing courtesy copies to judges where their Individual Practices require such. Please download and review the ECF Rules and Instructions, located at https://nysd.uscourts.gov/rules/ecf-related-instructions . .(jgo) (Entered: 05/06/2024)
2024-05-06Magistrate Judge Ona T. Wang is designated to handle matters that may be referred in this case. Pursuant to 28 U.S.C. Section 636(c) and Fed. R. Civ. P. 73(b)(1) parties are notified that they may consent to proceed before a United States Magistrate Judge. Parties who wish to consent may access the necessary form at the following link: https://nysd.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/2018-06/AO-3.pdf . (jgo) (Entered: 05/06/2024)
2024-05-06Case Designated ECF. (jgo) (Entered: 05/06/2024)
2024-05-06***NOTICE TO ATTORNEY REGARDING DEFICIENT REQUEST FOR ISSUANCE OF SUMMONS. Notice to Attorney Deepa Alagesan to RE-FILE Document No. 5 Request for Issuance of Summons, 4 Request for Issuance of Summons,. The filing is deficient for the following reason(s): the PDF attached to the docket entry for the issuance of summons is not correct; party names on the docket text, the PDF case caption and the PDF 'To' field must match as they appear on the pleading caption;. Re-file the document using the event type Request for Issuance of Summons found under the event list Service of Process - select the correct filer/filers - and attach the correct summons form PDF. (jgo) (Entered: 05/06/2024)
2024-05-066CIVIL COVER SHEET filed..(Alagesan, Deepa) (Entered: 05/06/2024)
2024-05-067REQUEST FOR ISSUANCE OF SUMMONS as to United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, re: 1 Complaint,. Document filed by International Refugee Assistance Project, Inc...(Alagesan, Deepa) (Entered: 05/06/2024)
2024-05-068REQUEST FOR ISSUANCE OF SUMMONS as to United States Department of State, re: 1 Complaint,. Document filed by International Refugee Assistance Project, Inc...(Alagesan, Deepa) (Entered: 05/06/2024)
2024-05-079ELECTRONIC SUMMONS ISSUED as to United States Citizenship and Immigration Services..(jgo) (Entered: 05/07/2024)
2024-05-0710ELECTRONIC SUMMONS ISSUED as to United States Department of State..(jgo) (Entered: 05/07/2024)
2024-05-2311SUMMONS RETURNED EXECUTED (FOIA CASE). United States Citizenship and Immigration Services served on 5/9/2024, answer due 6/10/2024. Service was made by Mail. Document filed by International Refugee Assistance Project, Inc...(Alagesan, Deepa) (Entered: 05/23/2024)
2024-05-2312SUMMONS RETURNED EXECUTED (FOIA CASE). United States Department of State served on 5/9/2024, answer due 6/10/2024. Service was made by Mail. Document filed by International Refugee Assistance Project, Inc...(Alagesan, Deepa) (Entered: 05/23/2024)
2024-05-2813NOTICE OF APPEARANCE by Kimberly Robin Grano on behalf of International Refugee Assistance Project, Inc...(Grano, Kimberly) (Entered: 05/28/2024)
2024-05-2814NOTICE OF APPEARANCE by Mevlude Amina Akay Alp on behalf of International Refugee Assistance Project, Inc...(Akay Alp, Mevlude) (Entered: 05/28/2024)
2024-05-2815CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE of Notice of Appearance of Kimberly R. Grano and Notice of Appearance of Mevlude Akay Alp served on United States Citizenship and Immigration Services and United States Department of State on May 28, 2024. Service was made by mail. Document filed by International Refugee Assistance Project, Inc...(Grano, Kimberly) (Entered: 05/28/2024)
2024-06-1716NOTICE OF APPEARANCE by Jeremy Liss on behalf of United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, United States Department of State..(Liss, Jeremy) (Entered: 06/17/2024)
2024-06-2017PROPOSED CONSENT TO JURISDICTION BY US MAGISTRATE JUDGE by International Refugee Assistance Project, Inc.. Document filed by International Refugee Assistance Project, Inc...(Grano, Kimberly) (Entered: 06/20/2024)
2024-06-2418CONSENT TO JURISDICTION BY A US MAGISTRATE JUDGE IT IS ORDERED: This case is referred to a United States magistrate judge to conduct all proceedings and order the entry of a final judgment in accordance with 28 U.S.C. § 636(c) and Fed. R. Civ. P. 73. (Case No Longer Referred to Magistrate Judge) CASE ASSIGNED to Magistrate Judge Ona T. Wang. (Signed by Judge John P. Cronan on 6/24/2024) (jca) (Entered: 06/24/2024)
2024-06-2619LETTER MOTION for Extension of Time to Respond to the Complaint addressed to Magistrate Judge Ona T. Wang from Jeremy M. Liss dated 6/26/2024. Document filed by United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, United States Department of State..(Liss, Jeremy) (Entered: 06/26/2024)
2024-06-2720NOTICE OF APPEARANCE by Monica M Beamer on behalf of United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, United States Department of State..(Beamer, Monica) (Entered: 06/27/2024)
2024-06-2721ORDER granting 19 Letter Motion for Extension of Time. Defendants' motion for an extension of time to answer is GRANTED. Defendants are directed to answer by July 29, 2024. (Signed by Magistrate Judge Ona T. Wang on 6/27/2024) (rro) (Entered: 06/27/2024)
2024-06-27Set/Reset Deadlines: United States Citizenship and Immigration Services answer due 7/29/2024; United States Department of State answer due 7/29/2024. (rro) (Entered: 06/27/2024)
2024-07-2522SECOND LETTER MOTION for Extension of Time to File Answer addressed to Magistrate Judge Ona T. Wang from Jeremy M. Liss dated 7/25/2024. Document filed by United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, United States Department of State..(Liss, Jeremy) (Entered: 07/25/2024)
2024-07-2623ORDER granting 22 Letter Motion for Extension of Time to Answer. Application GRANTED. Defendant's deadline to respond to the complaint is extended to August 29, 2024. SO ORDERED. United States Citizenship and Immigration Services answer due 8/29/2024; United States Department of State answer due 8/29/2024. (Signed by Magistrate Judge Ona T. Wang on 7/26/2024) (mml) (Entered: 07/26/2024)
2024-08-2724LETTER MOTION for Extension of Time to File Answer addressed to Magistrate Judge Ona T. Wang from Jeremy M. Liss dated 8/27/2024. Document filed by United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, United States Department of State..(Liss, Jeremy) (Entered: 08/27/2024)
2024-08-2925ORDER granting 24 Letter Motion for Extension of Time to Answer re 1 Complaint,. The parties' request for an extension is GRANTED. The parties are directed to file a joint status letter on the docket on the last business Friday of each month until the close of discovery, beginning September 27, 2024. SO ORDERED. (Signed by Magistrate Judge Ona T. Wang on 8/29/2024) (tg) (Entered: 08/30/2024)
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