The bureau said that the global health crisis makes it impossible to process email requests. People are told to use snail mail instead.

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Citing the global outbreak of the coronavirus, the FBI has placed a significant limit on how Americans can learn about the workings of their government: Instead of simply using email, people who seek public records, such as documents on high profile federal investigations or files on public figures, must now put their requests on paper and send them via snail mail. A message posted on the FBI's Freedom of Information Act website Tuesday says: "Due to the emerging COVID-19 situation, the FBI is not accepting electronic Freedom of Information/Privacy Act requests or sending out electronic responses through the eFOIPA portal at this time. You may still submit a FOIPA request via standard mail. We apologize for this inconvenience and appreciate your understanding."

FBI

It did not explain why, at a time when Americans are being encouraged to stay home and to avoid physical contact, posted letters were preferable to email. The Freedom of Information Act, or FOIA, is a powerful tool that allows the global public to obtain government documents. The FBI’s new protocol, which was announced during Sunshine Week, an annual celebration of transparency and open government, appears to contradict the Code of Federal Regulations related to FOIA requests across the federal government. It states, "All components have the capability to receive requests electronically either through email or a web portal" and "In general, Components should, to the extent practicable, communicate with requesters having access to the Internet using electronic means, such as email or web portal."

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On Tuesday, the journalist Emma Best, who the FBI has labeled a "vexatious" FOIA requester, filed dozens of requests with multiple government agencies, including the FBI, to find out how the coronavirus pandemic has impacted the agencies' FOIA operations. Only the National Archives and Records Administration responded, stating it has a single one-page document that is relevant to their request — and that it is withholding that document in full.

Katie Townsend, the legal director for the Reporters Committee for the Freedom of the Press, told BuzzFeed News that in a FOIA case she is litigating, an assistant US attorney filed court papers Tuesday saying the office that handles the FBI's FOIA requests is "closed at least until March 30, 2020 because of the current coronavirus outbreak."

Department of Justice