Department of Homeland Security support for "The Terminal" (2004)
| Tracking # |
2024-HQFO-00524 |
| Submitted | Dec. 29, 2023 |
| Due | Jan. 30, 2024 |
| Est. Completion | None |
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Communications
From: Brett Carollo
To Whom It May Concern:
Pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act, I hereby request the following records:
Any documents pertaining to collaboration between the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the production of the 2004 movie "The Terminal," directed by Steven Spielberg and starring Tom Hanks. I have attached a list of DHS film and TV collaborations obtained by another researcher to show that DHS supported this production. I request any and all documents pertaining to DHS support for "The Terminal." Such documents may include but should not be limited to: script notes; production assistance agreements; and all records of communications between employees of the DHS and members of the cast, crew, and production company of "The Terminal," including memos, notes of meetings and conference calls, emails, and other forms of communication.
I am the Director of Research Operations at a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization called The Decoding Culture Foundation. These documents will be used for public education and research purposes. I therefore request a waiver of all fees that may otherwise apply. Attached is a document with organization letterhead confirming my position, as well as the organization's 501(c)(3) application and approval form.
The requested documents will be made available to the general public, and this request is not being made for commercial purposes.
In the event that there are fees, I would be grateful if you would inform me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request. I would prefer the request filled electronically, by e-mail attachment if available or CD-ROM if not.
Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. I look forward to receiving your response to this request within 20 business days, as the statute requires.
Sincerely,
Brett Carollo
From: Department of Homeland Security
Good Morning,
Attached is our acknowledgment of your DHS FOIA request. If you need to contact this office again concerning your request, please provide the DHS reference number.
This will enable us to quickly retrieve the information you are seeking and reduce our response time. This office can be reached at 866-431-0486.
Regards,
DHS FOIA, Privacy Office
Department of Homeland Security
2707 Martin Luther King Jr. AVE SE
Mail Stop 0655
Washington, DC 20528-0655
E-mail: foia@hq.dhs.gov
Visit our FOIA website https://www.dhs.gov/foia
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1753559-20240103103507233
From: Department of Homeland Security
01/22/2024
Brett Carollo
MuckRock News, DEPT MR156416
Boston, Massachusetts 02115
Re: 2024-HQFO-00524
Dear Requester:
This is the electronic final response to your Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), dated 12/31/2023, and received by this office on 12/31/2023. You are seeking Any documents pertaining to collaboration between the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the production of the 2004 movie "The Terminal," directed by Steven Spielberg and starring Tom Hanks. I have attached a list of DHS film and TV collaborations obtained by another researcher to show that DHS supported this production. I request any and all documents pertaining to DHS support for "The Terminal." Such documents may include but should not be limited to: script notes; production assistance agreements; and all records of communications between employees of the DHS and members of the cast, crew, and production company of "The Terminal," including memos, notes of meetings and conference calls, emails, and other forms of communication..
We tasked the Office of Public Affairs, and they conducted a comprehensive search of files within the DHS Privacy Office for records that would be responsive to your request. Unfortunately, they were unable to locate or identify any responsive records due to "files and records in multimedia archive go back to 2004". This movie was released in 2004, DHS would have had to collaborated possible in 2002/2003. Therefore, no records found.
While an adequate search was conducted, you have the right to appeal this determination that no records exist within DHS Privacy Office that would be responsive to your request. Should you wish to do so, you must send your appeal and a copy of this letter, within 90 days of the date of this letter, to: Privacy Office, Attn: FOIA Appeals, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, 2707 Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue, SE, Mail Stop 0655, Washington, D.C. 20528-0655, following the procedures outlined in the DHS FOIA regulations at 6 C.F.R. Part 5 § 5.5(e)(2). Your envelope and letter should be marked “FOIA Appeal.” Copies of the FOIA and DHS FOIA regulations are available at www.dhs.gov/foia.
If you need any further assistance or would like to discuss any aspect of your request, please contact the analyst below who processed your request and refer to 2024-HQFO-00524. You may send an e-mail to foia@hq.dhs.gov, call 202-343-1743 or toll free 1-866-431-0486, or you may contact our FOIA Public Liaison in the same manner. Additionally, you have a right to right to seek dispute resolution services from the Office of Government Information Services (OGIS) which mediates disputes between FOIA requesters and Federal agencies as a non-exclusive alternative to litigation. If you are requesting access to your own records (which is considered a Privacy Act request), you should know that OGIS does not have the authority to handle requests made under the Privacy Act of 1974. You may contact OGIS as follows: Office of Government Information Services, National Archives and Records Administration, 8601 Adelphi Road-OGIS, College Park, Maryland 20740-6001, e-mail at ogis@nara.gov; telephone at 202-741-5770; toll free at 1-877-684-6448; or facsimile at 202-741-5769.
Provisions of FOIA allow DHS to charge for processing fees, up to $25, unless you seek a waiver of fees. In this instance, because the cost is below the $25 minimum, there is no charge.
Regards,
DHS FOIA, Privacy Office
Department of Homeland Security
2707 Martin Luther King Jr. AVE SE
Mail Stop 0655
Washington, DC 20528-0655
E-mail: foia@hq.dhs.gov
Visit our FOIA website https://www.dhs.gov/foia
From: Brett Carollo
This message concerns FOIA request 2024-HQFO-00524.
I understand that the documents I'm seeking may not be in the possession of DHS due to document retention protocols. My question at this point, in lieu of an appeal, is whether DHS might have passed such records to the National Archives and, if so, where.
Thank you.
Brett Carollo
From: Department of Homeland Security
"Good morning,
Thanks for reaching out to this office. We did not refer this case to any other DHS component or agency. If you believed these records would be at a different agency, please submit those directly to them.
Regards,
Privacy Office
Department of Homeland Security
2707 Martin Luther King Jr. AVE SE
Mail Stop 0655
Washington, DC 20528-065
Phone: 202-343-1743 or 866-431-0486
Fax: 202-343-4011
E-mail: foia@hq.dhs.gov
Visit our FOIA website https://www.dhs.gov/foia"
From: Muckrock Staff
To Whom It May Concern:
I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information Act request, copied below, and originally submitted on Dec. 31, 2023. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response. You had assigned it reference number #2024-HQFO-00524.
Thanks for your help, and let me know if further clarification is needed.
From: Department of Homeland Security
"Good morning,
Your request was referred to U.S. ICE on 1/20/2023, as noted in the letter sent to you on that same day.
Regards,
DHS Privacy"
From: Brett Carollo
This message pertains to request 2024-HQFO-00524.
If the documents I am seeking are not available due to record retention schedules, does this mean that they have been given to NARA? If so, I would appreciate any information that would help me locate these records through NARA.
Thank you,
Brett Carollo
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