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Case TitleINTERNATIONAL REFUGEE ASSISTANCE PROJECT, INC. v. U.S. CITIZENSHIP & IMMIGRATION SERVICES
DistrictDistrict of Columbia
CityWashington, DC
Case Number1:2023cv03664
Date Filed2023-12-08
Date ClosedOpen
JudgeJudge Royce C. Lamberth
PlaintiffINTERNATIONAL REFUGEE ASSISTANCE PROJECT, INC.
Case DescriptionInternational Refugee Assistance Project submitted four FOIA requests to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services for records concerning refugee client applications for USRAP resettlement. The agency acknowledged receipt of the requests. The agency disclosed some records but withheld others. IRAP filed administrative appeals of the denials. After hearing nothing further from the agency, IRAP filed suit.
Complaint issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Litigation - Attorney's fees, Adequacy - Search

DefendantU.S. CITIZENSHIP & IMMIGRATION SERVICES
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

2023-12-081COMPLAINT against U.S. CITIZENSHIP & IMMIGRATION SERVICES ( Filing fee $ 405 receipt number BDCDC-10546707) filed by INTERNATIONAL REFUGEE ASSISTANCE PROJECT, INC.. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit A, # 2 Exhibit B, # 3 Civil Cover Sheet, # 4 Summons)(Opila, Chris) (Entered: 12/08/2023)
2023-12-082LCvR 26.1 CERTIFICATE OF DISCLOSURE of Corporate Affiliations and Financial Interests by INTERNATIONAL REFUGEE ASSISTANCE PROJECT, INC. (Opila, Chris) (Entered: 12/08/2023)
2023-12-08NOTICE OF ERROR re 1 Complaint; emailed to copila@refugeerights.org, cc'd 0 associated attorneys -- The PDF file you docketed contained errors: 1. Noncompliance with LCvR 5.1(c). Please file an errata correcting the initiating pleading to include the name & full residence address of each party using the event Errata., 2. Missing summonses-government. When naming a government agent or agency as a defendant, you must supply a summons for each defendant & two additional summonses for the U.S. Attorney & U.S. Attorney General. Please submit using the event Request for Summons to Issue., 3. COMPLIANCE DEADLINE is by close of business today. This case will not proceed any further until all errors are satisfied. (zrtw, ) (Entered: 12/08/2023)
2023-12-123ERRATA by INTERNATIONAL REFUGEE ASSISTANCE PROJECT, INC. re 1 Complaint,. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit A (Corrected Complaint))(Opila, Chris) (Entered: 12/12/2023)
2023-12-124REQUEST FOR SUMMONS TO ISSUE as to AUSA filed by INTERNATIONAL REFUGEE ASSISTANCE PROJECT, INC.. Related document: 1 Complaint, filed by INTERNATIONAL REFUGEE ASSISTANCE PROJECT, INC.. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit (Request for Summons to Issue as to US Attorney General))(Opila, Chris) (Entered: 12/12/2023)
2023-12-13Case Assigned to Judge Royce C. Lamberth. (zrtw) (Entered: 12/13/2023)
2023-12-135SUMMONS (3) Issued Electronically as to U.S. CITIZENSHIP & IMMIGRATION SERVICES, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General (Attachments: # 1 Notice and Consent)(zrtw) (Entered: 12/13/2023)
2023-12-136NOTICE of Appearance by Mariko Hirose on behalf of INTERNATIONAL REFUGEE ASSISTANCE PROJECT, INC. (Hirose, Mariko) (Entered: 12/13/2023)
2023-12-197RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. U.S. CITIZENSHIP & IMMIGRATION SERVICES served on 12/18/2023 (Opila, Chris) (Entered: 12/19/2023)
2023-12-198RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed as to the United States Attorney. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney on 12/19/2023. Answer due for ALL FEDERAL DEFENDANTS by 1/18/2024. (Opila, Chris) (Entered: 12/19/2023)
2023-12-199RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed on United States Attorney General. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney General 12/19/2023. (Opila, Chris) (Entered: 12/19/2023)
2024-01-0210NOTICE of Appearance by Kenneth A. Adebonojo on behalf of U.S. CITIZENSHIP & IMMIGRATION SERVICES (Adebonojo, Kenneth) (Entered: 01/02/2024)
2024-01-1811Consent MOTION for Extension of Time to Respond by U.S. CITIZENSHIP & IMMIGRATION SERVICES. (Adebonojo, Kenneth) (Entered: 01/18/2024)
2024-01-2212ORDER granting Motion 11 for Extension of Time to Respond. Response due by 2/29/2024. Signed by Judge Royce C. Lamberth on 1/22/2024. (lcrcl2) (Entered: 01/22/2024)
2024-02-2213NOTICE of Change of Address by Chris Opila (Opila, Chris) (Entered: 02/22/2024)
2024-02-2914ANSWER to Complaint by U.S. CITIZENSHIP & IMMIGRATION SERVICES.(Adebonojo, Kenneth) (Entered: 02/29/2024)
2024-03-0115ORDER: Local Rule 16.3(b)(10) exempts parties to a FOIA action from typical scheduling order requirements. Instead, the government has the burden to produce a Vaughn index with a supporting dispositive motion. The Court therefore ORDERS the government to file the index and supporting motion within 30 days. Signed by Judge Royce C. Lamberth on 3/1/2024. (lcrcl2) (Entered: 03/01/2024)
2024-03-1516NOTICE of Appearance by Deepa Alagesan on behalf of INTERNATIONAL REFUGEE ASSISTANCE PROJECT, INC. (Alagesan, Deepa) (Entered: 03/15/2024)
2024-04-0117MOTION to Stay by U.S. CITIZENSHIP & IMMIGRATION SERVICES. (Adebonojo, Kenneth) (Entered: 04/01/2024)
2024-04-0318RESPONSE re 17 MOTION to Stay filed by INTERNATIONAL REFUGEE ASSISTANCE PROJECT, INC.. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Opila, Chris) (Entered: 04/03/2024)
2024-04-1119ORDER granting Motion 17 to Stay. Status Report due by 7/9/2024. Signed by Judge Royce C. Lamberth on 4/11/2024. (lcrcl2) (Entered: 04/11/2024)
2024-04-2320Consent MOTION to Withdraw as Attorney Mariko Hirose by INTERNATIONAL REFUGEE ASSISTANCE PROJECT, INC.. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Hirose, Mariko) (Entered: 04/23/2024)
2024-04-2621ORDER granting Motion 20 to Withdraw as Attorney. Attorney Mariko Hirose terminated. Signed by Judge Royce C. Lamberth on 4/26/2024. (lcrcl2) (Entered: 04/26/2024)
2024-07-0922NOTICE of Appearance by Linda B. Evarts on behalf of INTERNATIONAL REFUGEE ASSISTANCE PROJECT, INC. (Evarts, Linda) (Entered: 07/09/2024)
2024-07-0923STATUS REPORT by U.S. CITIZENSHIP & IMMIGRATION SERVICES. (Adebonojo, Kenneth) (Entered: 07/09/2024)
2024-07-1024ORDER: Upon consideration of Defendant's Status Report 23 and the entire record herein, and for good cause shown, it is hereby ORDERED that Defendant's proposal is ADOPTED; and it is further ORDERED that Defendant shall file another Status Report no later than September 30, 2024. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Royce C. Lamberth on 07/10/2024. (lcrcl2) (Entered: 07/10/2024)
2024-07-1125NOTICE of Change of Address by Chris Opila (Opila, Chris) (Entered: 07/11/2024)
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