Foia

Most common agencies that apply to immigration processes: 

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS): Handles green card processes, citizenship, various humanitarian processes, etc. It holds records related to the “A-file” of the alien. 

“A-files” are a series of records documenting a person’s immigration history. They are created when a request or petition for a benefit is made, or when an action is initiated against the person, for example, if the alien is arrested by an immigration officer. 

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP): Deals with seizure, detention, deportation, entry, exit, expedited removal, background investigations or inspections records, I-94 records, travel sector booking data such as passenger name records, and voluntary departure. 

Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR): Handles records of immigration court proceedings and the Board of Immigration Appeals, known as BIA. 

U.S. Department of State: Holds information about immigrant and non-immigrant visa applications processed by the department, such as Form DS-260 and DS-160. 

Situations in which to request a FOIA: 

Anyone with any immigration history, such as having been arrested by immigration authorities, deported, entered or stayed in the U.S. illegally, completed DS-160 or DS-260 forms, initiated any immigration process, etc., should request a FOIA to understand the information held by the U.S. government. These records could be examined by officials when assessing current applications. Having access to this information is crucial in case any discrepancies need clarification or correction. Information found in the FOIA may even justify not starting an immigration process. Just as they can uncover valuable things, such as approvals of past processes that may have a huge impact on future processes. 

The FOIA can also be crucial in deciding whether or not to initiate an immigration request. Additionally, it can help resolve specific issues by providing documents that streamline the subsequent immigration process.