FOIA Playbook: From Effective Requests to Litigation
Panelists will advise on best practices for navigating the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) process in immigration cases, covering everything from identifying the correct agency to interpreting complex FOIA responses. They will address how to understand A-files, detect “silent” omissions or redactions, spot fraud indicators, and use FOIA records strategically to challenge Notices to Appear (NTAs) or file suppression motions. Finally, they will provide strategic guidance on when and how to pursue FOIA litigation.
Featured Topics
- Writing an effective FOIA request to avoid delays: practical tips and guidance
- Deciphering a FOIA response, including border statements, signatures, and discrepancies in names or addresses
- The latest FOIA policy memoranda: what attorneys need to know
- Leveraging a FOIA response to file motions to suppress or challenge an improper NTA
- Are there instances where filing a FOIA is detrimental? Are attorneys breaching their ethical obligations by not filing a FOIA?
AILA Membership Benefit – Access to Free Seminar Recordings (CLE Credit Available for $35)
Enjoy access to free seminar recordings as an AILA Member. AILA encourages live attendance for those wishing to ask the speaker questions. CLE credit is included with purchase for live participants.
Recordings will be available approximately two weeks after the live event date. AILA members can access these seminars, with no CLE credit, for free. Recordings are CLE eligible in most jurisdictions and a $35 administration fee is required to obtain CLE credit.
Contact us at cle@aila.org or visit AILA’s Web Seminar Recordings page for more information about receiving CLE credit for a web seminar recording.
| Product Details | |
| Event Date | July 14, 2026 |
| Format | Web Seminar |
| Length | 90 minutes |
| CLE Eligible | Yes. Live attendance must be recorded in My CLE by Tuesday, July 21, 2026. This deadline does not apply to the OnDemand format. |
| Digital Library | Digital goods (MP3, PDF, ZIP, etc.) are available for download for two years after purchase. |
Eligible participants can receive up to 1.8 CLE credit hours. AILA will administer CLE credit only to individuals who register and log into the web seminar. AILA cannot verify your attendance and participation in this program unless you register directly for the web seminar and use your name to log in to participate in the program. Therefore, persons who log in or listen in on the web seminar as part of a group will not be able to obtain CLE credit.
Please note that your jurisdiction may limit the amount of distance learning credit you can earn. To view details on your jurisdiction's credit restrictions and CLE requirements, visit the CLE Center.
AILA has filed for CLE and specialized credit in all jurisdictions with mandatory CLE requirements. For details about specific approvals, contact us at cle@aila.org.
- AILA applies for accreditation upon attorneys’ request after participation for the following states: AR, DE, IA, ID, KS, KY, LA, ME, MN, MS, OR, TN and WY. Programs are typically approved.
- Florida and Rhode Island - Attorneys must apply on their own for approval of seminars in FL and RI. Programs are typically approved.
- The OnDemand Recording format does not qualify for CLE credit in the following jurisdictions: MO and PR. Please note that your jurisdiction may limit OnDemand credit based on the date of the original presentation. View the OnDemand Downloadable Expiration Chart for more details.
To receive CLE credit for the live event, attorneys must record web seminar attendance and the CLE code provided by July 21, 2026 via My CLE. CLE certificates will be available for download the day after the deadline reporting date.
Contact us at cle@aila.org or visit AILA’s Web Seminar Recordings page for more information about receiving CLE credit for a seminar recording.
*Annelise M. Araujo (DL), Boston, MA
Alexandra Paola Friz-Garcia, Coral Gables, FL
*Scott D. Pollock, Chicago, IL
Raul A. Pinto, Deputy Director of Transparency, American Immigration Council, Washington, D.C.
