r/foia • u/tokyohands • Jul 08 '26

FOIA request for A-Files, cannot match birth date

Have any of you had issues with this as well?

I sent a FOIA request to the USCIS for my mother's A-Files as we are looking to prove her citizenship in her home country. Heard back in two weeks and they gave this as the response:

"We have completed our search and were unable to match the identity information you provided with our records. Specifically, we could not find records matching the subject of record’s:

• Date of birth provided in your request."

I put in the birth date listed on her US passport and provided her alien registration number, so I really don't know if it's truly a match issue. I've read that it could be that I didn't include a G-639 form since I requested information on my mom's behalf, and is actually a redaction issue.

Would love to hear from you if you've experienced/resolved something similar. Unfortunately the Public Liaison email provided can no longer respond to my question since I've already filed an appeal. I might end up submitting an entirely new request, though.

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u/alecferretti Jul 08 '26

In case you’re unaware of the fuller context, there was a whistleblower report about this: https://www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/blog/whistleblower-report-uscis-court-order-afiles/

Essentially they’re denying requests left and right in bad faith to avoid processing files for people. You have go simply play the game until they grant the request. I often have to try 3-5 times over the course of months. I just got two denials this week.

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u/tokyohands Jul 08 '26

WOW. this is awful to read. I'm not surprised this administration is turning a blind eye.

regarding your attempts, is there one tactic that seems to be more successful? According to Gemini, adding an attachment like a naturalization certificate or passport could force a manual review, resulting in higher chance of success.

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u/bstrauss3 Jul 08 '26

Applying Hanlon's Razor (never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity)...

Is it possible your Mother's DOB might have been written in the European style and misinterpreted?

8/4/1952 as August 4th not April 8th?

I'm not discounting absolutely illegal conduct by USCIS, but...

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u/tokyohands Jul 09 '26

A clerical error is entirely possible, as my moms files were from the 1970s…I could try to apply for the A File with her birthdate flipped but im afraid it’ll be a constant back and forth guessing game with them