VIA E-MAIL ICE-FOIA@DHS.

GOV

September 12, 2017

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement

Freedom of Information Act Office
500 12th Street S.W., Stop 5009
Washington, D.C. 20536-5009

Re: Freedom of Information Act Request: Operation MEGA, MAGA (Make

America Great Again), Epic, etc. and related operations

Requesters submit this Freedom of Information Act request to obtain information

related to the planning, execution, cancellation, delay, alteration or adjustment of
Operation MEGA, Operation MAGA, Operation Cross Check, Operation Epic, Cross
Check VII Operation Epic, or any immigration enforcement operation from June 2017
through October 2017 (Operation Mega or related operations).

On September 7, 2017, news outlets reported U.S. Immigration and Customs

Enforcement (ICE) planned to execute a mass immigration enforcement operation,
called Operation Mega, to apprehend noncitizens in mid-September 2017.1 All 24 ICE
Field Offices were expected to implement this operation with the goal of apprehending
anywhere between 8,400 to 10,000 noncitizens. On September 7, 2017, news outlets then
reported that ICE cancelled Operation Mega. ICE officials announced there was no
coordinated nationwide operation planned at this time but said operations were
adjusted accordingly.2 On September 8, 2017, Univision television showed a redacted
document referencing that ICE planned to execute Cross Check VII Operation Epic
(Mega) from September 17-21.3

In accordance with the Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C. 552, we request

the following records4 that are described below or contain the information described
below:

1
Homeland Security Cancels Massive Roundups of Undocumented Immigrants, by Julia Ainsley and
Andrew Blankstein, NBC News, September 7, 2017. (https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/ice-plans-
mega-largest-immigration-raid-operation-its-kind-n799691, last visited September 8, 2017);
2
ICE statement regarding questions on enforcement planning, September 7.
https://www.ice.gov/news/releases/ice-statement-regarding-questions-enforcement-planning
3
ICE halted mega operation against undocumented immigrants due to hurricanes, Univision, September
8, 2017. http://www.univision.com/univision-news/immigration/ice-halted-mega-operation-against-
undocumented-immigrants-due-to-hurricanes
4 The term records as used herein includes all records or communications preserved in electronic or
written form, including but not limited to correspondence, documents, data, videotapes, audiotapes, e-
mails, faxes, files, guidance, guidelines, evaluations, instructions, analyses, memoranda, agreements, notes,
orders, policies, procedures, protocols, reports, rules, manuals, technical specifications, training manuals,
and studies.

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1. All records, including but not limited to policies, protocols, notes, memoranda,
communications, manuals, forms or checklists, and records described in 5 U.S.C.
552(a)(2)(B) & (C), including those prepared by ICE Enforcement and Removal
Operations Field Offices, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Field Offices and
ICE Headquarters, that:

a. Describe Operation Mega or related operations, or their planning or execution;

b. Describe the history of Operation Mega or related operations, including any

cancellation, delay, alteration or adjustment of the operations;

c. Describe or reflect how targets were identified for Operation Mega or related
operations, including but not limited to, identification of any state or local
databases that were used to identify targets for the operations.

d. Describe or reflect the databases or technological infrastructure, such as

biometric devices or databases, used to support Operation Mega or related
operations.

e. Describe or reflect any coordination with fusion centers or federal agencies,

such as the Alcohol, Firearms, and Tobacco (ATF) Agency, Drug
Enforcement Agency (DEA), US Marshals, or other federal agencies.

f. Describe or relate to any procedure or protocol for sharing information

collected by federal immigration agents during Operation Mega or related
operations with state and local authorities, including police departments,
sheriff departments, local or county jails;

g. Describe or relate to any procedure or protocol for sharing information

collected by state and local authorities during Operation Mega or related
operations with federal immigration agents;

h. Describe or relate to any procedure or protocol for sharing the information

collected by federal immigration agents during Operation Mega or related
operations with federal agencies or with other sub-federal agencies or
organizations.

2. All records, such as policies, protocols, notes, memoranda, communications, manuals,

forms or checklists, and records described in 5 U.S.C. 552(a)(2)(B) & (C),
including those prepared by ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Field Offices,
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Field Offices and ICE Headquarters, that

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 relate to Chicago Field Offices5 involvement in Operation Mega or related
operation, including but not limited to6:
3.
a. any targets for the number of individuals to be apprehended during Operation
Mega or related operations;

b. the number of ICE ERO and/or HSI officers involved or allocated to the
execution of Operation Mega or related operations;

c. any training materials or protocols for ICE ERO and/or HSI agents;

d. the selection of targets;

e. the use of biometric technology, including mobile biometric units;

f. the use or procurement of administrative warrants, including I-200 or I-205s

and any other ICE administrative warrants in advance of Operation Mega or
related operations;

g. the ICE detention bed capacity within the jurisdiction of the Chicago Field
Office;

h. the type of personal information that was collected (e.g., fingerprints,

photographs ) for individuals in connection with planning or execution of
Operation Mega or related operations and any aggregate totals of individuals
whose information was collected;

i. any communications with ICE Headquarters federal law enforcement

agencies, such as the US Marshals, and/or local law enforcement agencies
about Operation Mega or related operations;

j. all communications, contracts, memoranda of understanding, and agreements

with local, city, state, or county law enforcement agencies that address or
pertain to the planning and execution of Operation Mega or related operations.

k. all arrest or apprehension records, including but not limited to Forms I-213,
Record of Deportable Alien, and field notes or worksheets, in the possession
of the Chicago Field Office created in connection with Operation Mega or
related operations;

5 According to the ICE website: Chicago Field Office, 101 West Congress Parkway 4th Floor
Chicago, IL, 60605l ; Area of Responsibility: Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Missouri, Kentucky, Kansas

6 Should any responsive record contain the personal identifying information of any third party, Requesters
ask that the agencies redact that information. This Request seeks aggregate investigatory records relevant to
the planning of Operation Mega and related operations, not any personal or identifying information about
any specific individual(s).

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 l. any instructions or protocols related to collateral arrests during Operation
Mega or related operations;

m. All records related to criminal warrant(s) secured by federal agencies or sub-

agencies, such as the DEA, ATF, FBI, US Marshals in connection with the
planning or execution of Operation Maga and related operations;

4. All records relating to waivers of detention standards requested and/or granted, in

association with Operation Mega or related operations, including any waivers of
specific plumbing contracts or toilet to detained immigrant ratios in ICE holding or
detention facilities7;

5. All records, including correspondence, relating to personnel overtime, additional

personnel hired, or personnel from other field offices, jurisdictions, or with other
functions temporarily reassigned to support apprehension efforts during the planning
of Operation Mega or related operations;

6. Identify all ICE Field Offices that planned to execute or support Operation Mega or
related operations, including the number of ICE agents, including HSI agents;

7. All budgetary and financial records pertaining to the planning or execution of

Operation Mega or related operation;

8. All communications, contracts, memoranda of understanding, and agreements with

U.S. federal governmental entities (e.g. DEA, ATF, etc) that address or pertain to the
planning and execution of Operation Mega or related operations.

With respect to the form of production, see 5 U.S.C. 552(a)(3)(B), we request that
responsive documents be provided electronically in text-searchable, static-image format
(PDF), in the best image quality in the agencies possession. We further request that
reasonable metadata be transmitted along with responsive documents, including but not
limited to email attachments, author and recipient information, date and time stamps, and
the like.

Requesters

Requesters are comprised of individuals, volunteer organizations, community collectives

or non-profit, public-interest organizations that work, have done work in, or reside within
the territorial jurisdiction of the Chicago Field Office. All requesters, including national
organizations, have expressed interest in or have worked on issues related to immigration
enforcement or the protection of immigrants rights.

7 This request could reference the hygiene requirements in the ICE Performance Based National Detention
Standard Standards, Personal Hygiene, 4.5. https://www.ice.gov/doclib/detention-standards/2011/4-5.pdf

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The following organizations are based in or work within the territorial jurisdiction of the
Chicago Field Office.

Organized Communities Against Deportations (OCAD) is a community based

organization in Illinois that organizes against unfair and inhumane immigration
enforcement practices that impact immigrant communities.

IFCLA is a non-profit organization that is committed to standing in solidarity with

the poor of Latin America. For 35 years, IFCLA has worked tirelessly in St. Louis
and in Latin America on issues of human rights and social justice.

Individual requesters work or reside within the regions covered by the Chicago Field
Office.

1. Barbara Suarez
2. Rosa Mara Navarro
3. Diana Lozano
4. Sara John

National organizations: The requesters below regularly provide education and

disseminate information to the public, various advocacy networks, members and allies on
topics related to immigration enforcement, detention and removal.

Detention Watch Network (DWN) is a national coalition of organizations and individuals

working to expose and challenge the injustices of the United States immigration
detention and deportation system and advocate for profound change that promotes the
rights and dignity of all persons. Founded in 1997 by immigrant rights groups, DWN
brings together advocates to unify strategy and build partnerships on a local and national
level to end immigration detention. DWN members and allies are participating in this
FOIA request for information about the above-named operations.

Mijente: Mijente is a national organization that coordinates and organizes with its
affiliates in several states to address issues relating to immigration enforcement and
Latinx political participation. Mijente members and allies are part of this FOIA request.

National Immigration Project of the National Lawyers Guild (NIPNLG): The NIPNLG is
a national non-profit organization that provides technical assistance and support to
community-based immigrant organizations, legal practitioners, and all advocates working
to advance the rights of noncitizens. NIPNLG works to protect the rights of all, including
noncitizens entangled within the criminal justice system, victims of government abuse
and misconduct, and those facing summary removal.

Requesters respectfully request a waiver of fees in accordance with 5 U.S.C.

552(a)(4)(A)(iii). That provision is to be liberally construed in favor of waivers for

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noncommercial requesters. Judicial Watch, Inc. v. Rossotti, 326 F.3d 1309, 1312 (D.C.
Cir. 2003). We do not have a commercial interest in this information.

Through this FOIA, we anticipate interested members of the public, particularly

residents living within the jurisdiction of the Chicago Field Office will obtain important
immigration-related information that will impact noncitizen residents, US citizens, and
families. Both individuals and non-profit organizations will plan distribution of written
materials, including on our respective websites, and through public and educational
appearances.

We seek the requested information for the purpose of disseminating it to members

of the public who have access to their public websites and other free publications, and not
for the purpose of commercial gain. In addition, disclosure of the requested information
is in the public interest because it is likely to contribute significantly to public
understanding of the operations or activities of the government. 5 U.S.C.
552(a)(4)(A)(iii); 6 C.F.R. 5.11(k).

Disclosure of the requested information will contribute significantly to the public

understanding of Operation Mega or related operations because Mijente, DWN, AFSC,
Padres Y Jovenes Unidos, and the NIPNLG have the capacity and intent to disseminate
widely the information to a broad audience. Both the organizations and individual
requesters will review and analyze the information obtained through this FOIA request.
In addition, all requesters, individual and organizations, will speak publicly and publish
written materials to be shared with the genral public and organizational members and
residents within the jurisdiction of the Chicago Field Office. All our organizations will
make the information available through our respective websites, which are accessible by
any member of the public. Finally, we often have frequent contact with national print and
news media and plan to share information gleaned from FOIA disclosures with interested
media. Disclosure of the requested information will shed light on aspects of processes of
ICE and other agencies heretofore unknown to the public. Moreover, consistent with our
missions and past practices, we intend, once we receive the information, to share it with
fellow public-interest organizations as well as the public, in order to help protect the
rights of immigrants, including ensuring that they receive legal representation.

If the fee-waiver request is denied, we are willing to pay fees up to a maximum of

$25. For reasons similar to those set out above, this request at least qualifies for
substantially reduced fees. If you nevertheless estimate that the fees will exceed this
limit, or if you have any questions regarding this request, please contact me, Paromita
Shah at the National Immigration Project of the NLG. I reserve the right, however, to
challenge a denial of my fee-waiver request. See 5 U.S.C. 552(a)(4)(A)(vii).

Please deliver the requested documents by email or mail to:

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Paromita Shah
Associate Director
National Immigration Project of the NLG
14 Beacon Street
Boston, MA 02108
paromita@nipnlg.org
Tel: (202)271-2286

Danny Cendejas
Organizing Director
Detention Watch Network
dcendejas@detentionwatchnetwork.org

Jacinta Gonzalez Goodman

Field Director
Mijente
Jacinta@mijente.org

Thank you for your consideration of this request. We look forward to receiving
your response within the 20-day period set by Congress. See id. 552(a)(6)(A)(i).

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