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NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund v. United States Dep’t of Justice

The NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund filed a lawsuit under the Freedom of Information Act to compel the Department of Justice to release documents related to its request to add a citizenship question to the 2020 Census.

Last Updated: June 4, 2021
Published: August 5, 2019

Note: The Brennan Center is not a participant in this case.

Summary 

The NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund filed a lawsuit under the Freedom of Information Act to compel the Department of Justice to release documents related to its request to add a citizenship question to the 2020 Census.

Case Background

The NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund (LDF) sued the United States Department of Justice under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) to compel production of records concerning the addition of a citizenship question to the 2020 Census. On December 12, 2017, the Department of Justice formally requested the Commerce Department to include a citizenship question on the 2020 Census.

The plaintiffs asked the court for injunctive and other appropriate relief to compel the Department of Justice to disclose the requested records.

On May 20, 2020, the court denied the defendants’ motion for summary judgment and granted the plaintiffs’ cross-motion for summary judgment. The Department of Justice is required to conduct an adequate search to identify records responsive to each of the plaintiff’s FOIA request. 

On July 19, 2021, the case was voluntarily dismissed with prejudice.

Documents