WASHINGTON — Fifty American Civil Liberties Union affiliates filed 18 coordinated Freedom of Information Act requests today with local U.S. Customs and Border Protection offices to expose how Trump administration officials are interpreting and executing the president’s Muslim ban at over 55 international airports across the country, acting in violation of federal courts that ordered a stay on the ban’s implementation.

“It is imperative that the public learn if federal immigration officials are blatantly defying nationwide federal court orders that block President Trump’s unconstitutional Muslim ban,” said Mitra Ebadolahi, Border Litigation Project Staff Attorney with the ACLU of San Diego and Imperial Counties. “To shed light on this critical issue of pressing public concern, 50 ACLU affiliates are using the Freedom of Information Act to expose Customs and Border Protection’s abuse of power.”

Media reports indicate that CBP officials detained and deported individuals, even after federal courts ordered officials to stop enforcing the executive order following a court challenge from the ACLU and other organizations.

The Trump administration has yet to inform the public of how many refugees, visa holders, and legal permanent residents have been affected by this action.

The following ACLU affiliates participated in this coordinated FOIA filing:



Alabama

Alaska

Arizona

Arkansas

Colorado

Connecticut

Delaware

Florida

Georgia

Hawaii

Idaho

Illinois

Indiana

Iowa

Kansas

Kentucky

Louisiana

Maine

Maryland

Massachusetts

Michigan

Minnesota

Mississippi

Missouri

Montana

Nebraska

Nevada

New Hampshire

New Jersey

New Mexico

New York

North Carolina

North Dakota

Northern California

Ohio

Oregon

Pennsylvania

Rhode Island

San Diego, California

South Carolina

Southern California

Tennessee

Texas

Utah

Vermont

Virginia

Washington

Washington, D.C.

West Virginia

Wisconsin

The ACLU national FOIA request can be found here:

https://www.aclu.org/cbp-foia-filing-trump-immigration-ban