OIG 24-16 (Medical Approvals) Working Papers
| Tracking # |
2024-IGFO-00045 |
| Submitted | Jan. 25, 2024 |
| Est. Completion | April 12, 2024 |
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Communications
From: Andrew Free
To Whom It May Concern:
Pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act, I hereby request the following records:
All working papers and other records reviewed by DHS-OIG in preparation of the report designated OIG-24-16, released January 25, 2024, and available here: https://www.oig.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/assets/2024-01/OIG-24-16-Jan24.pdf.
I hereby request expedited processing of this request pursuant to 6 CFR 5.5(e) and certify under penalty of perjury pursuant to 28 USC 1746 that the following statements are true and correct to the best of my knowledge and understanding:
1. I am a member of the media primarily engaged in the dissemination of information.
2. The facts underlying the OIG Report at issue have been the subject of exceptional and widespread media interest and substantiated, bipartisan findings of wrongdoing by the government and is contractors—including the Inspector General’s Office. See, e.g., https://www.hsgac.senate.gov/subcommittees/investigations/hearings/medical-mistreatment-of-women-in-ice-detention/
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,
Andrew Free
From: Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General
Good Afternoon,
Please find attached, correspondence related to the above-referenced request.
Thank you,
DHS OIG FOIA Team
From: Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General
Good Morning Andrew Free,
I am writing to discuss the above-referenced request. You requested:
"Records related to the production of the Department of Homeland Security's Office of Inspector General Report "OIG-24-16," released on Jan. 23, 2024, titled "ICE Major Surgeries Were Not Always Properly Reviewed and Approved for Medical Necessity."
I have discussed this request with our Subject Matter Expert who has informed me that, as requested, records responding to the complete scope of this request would be voluminous. Whenever, our offices of Audits or Inspections conduct audits or inspections, they obtain many records from other agencies in order to complete those audits or inspections. When a search is completed for those records, any records that do not originate with OIG will be returned to the pertinent agency for processing. Therefore, to focus our search, I am suggesting that we exclude records originating with other agencies in our search and search only for those records originating with OIG. This should narrow the record set greatly. In this case, the other records would originate with ICE. If you are interested in receiving records from ICE, I would recommend submitting a new request to that agency.
Please provide a response by Feb. 12, 2024.
Thank you,
DHS OIG FOIA Team
From: Andrew Free
I would like to discuss an agreement to narrow the request. When can we speak by phone?
From: Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General
Good Afternoon and thank you for your prompt response. I have consulted the program office and there are about 1000 pp of records which will have to be pulled and reviewed. Those records which do not originate with OIG will be sent to that agency for processing. Are you open to receiving only those records originating with OIG? This will shorten processing time as the number of records to be reviewed would be reduced. If you have specific questions, you would like to address, please respond via email so that we may be better informed about how you would like to focus your request.
Thank you,
DHS OIG FOIA Team
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~WRD0000
From: Andrew Free
Yes. I agree to this proposal.
Could you perhaps, pursuant to an agreement to narrow, simply provide a list of those docs originating outside the OIG, if one exists (maybe as an exhibit or attachment) so that I can be as specific as possible when I make that request directly with the other agency?
Thanks in advance,
Andrew
From: Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General
Good Morning Mr. Free,
Thank you for your agreement to narrowing the search requested. The SME has stated that they can indeed provide a list of documents which were located in our search but did not originate with OIG. The OIG records remaining to be processed still amount to over 5000 pages. Is there anything more specific you are looking for which could help reduce the page count OIG would be needing to process?
Thank you,
DHS OIG FOIA Team
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~WRD0000
From: Andrew Free
Thank you for this!
Is there an Exhibit List laying out the contents of the records?
From: Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General
Good Morning,
Following up on this. Please respond by 4/12/2024, otherwise this request will be closed.
Thank you,
DHS OIG FOIA Team
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~WRD0000
From: Andrew Free
I responded on March 5. You didn’t.
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