New reporting suggests RFK Jr. is not done with the changes to U.S. vaccine policy. We’re making sure the administration is following the law, and using FOIA to ensure Americans know what experts really think. Read more in this week’s newsletter: americanoversight.org/newsletter/a...

In April, the CDC blocked the release of a study that showed the covid vaccine is effective. Experts had already approved it. This raises concerns that scientists aren't allowed to share info that conflicts with RFK Jr.’s beliefs. We FOIAed comms about the study's cancellation.

Trump is exploiting America’s 250th anniversary for self-dealing and promotion. And he created Freedom 250 — the organization behind the White House UFC fight — to do it. Here’s the differences between America250 and Freedom 250 — and why it matters. americanoversight.org/america250-f...

DHS Sec. Mullins won’t rule out sending ICE to polling places during the midterms. That would intimidate people from voting. We’re investigating whether the Trump admin is planning to deploy the military or ICE during the elections. americanoversight.org/american-ove...

Reporting from the NY Times shows ICE 287(g) agreements that enlist local police to aid immigration crackdowns are most common in the south. We obtained records that show Louisiana expects millions of dollars from ICE for supporting its immigration work. www.nytimes.com/interactive/...

There are two orgs planning for the U.S.’s 250th anniversary. 1. America250, which is bipartisan and has congressional oversight. 2. Freedom 250, a project of the Trump administration that is promising access to donors. More in today’s newsletter: americanoversight.org/newsletter/a...

The Trump admin is considering rolling back anti-discrimination protections for LGBTQ people in federal housing law. We’re investigating if the admin is considering more rollbacks. We FOIAed agency communications related to non-discrimination policies. stateline.org/2026/04/28/t...

Last June, Trump sent the National Guard to LA to protesters. We uncovered an email in which DHS’s top attorney suggested federal agents should have “just started hitting” protesters. And CBP planned to hide it from the public. americanoversight.org/top-cbp-offi...

Last year, Trump signed an executive order barring federal support for minor’s gender-affirming care. We need to know how agencies are implementing this, including if it could impact health care coverage for federal employees. We FOIAed to find out.

America250 is a bipartisan celebration of the country. Freedom 250 is a project of the Trump administration that Trump is using to exploit our country’s 250th anniversary. Guess which is getting more taxpayer money? americanoversight.org/america250-f...

Heather Honey is an election conspiracy theorist who Trump put in charge of “election integrity” at DHS. We need to know more about Honey’s work at DHS because that may show how Trump is trying to undermine the midterms. We’ve sued for records to investigate. americanoversight.org/american-ove...

It’s hard to know how DOGE operates because it has taken steps to shield the names of its operatives and records of its actions. We’re using the Freedom of Information Act to fight for answers. Here’s what we’ve learned so far. americanoversight.org/investigatio...

ICE is turning warehouses into inhumane detention centers, running recruitment ads that echo white nationalists, and developing new surveillance systems. If this is what’s happening in public, what’s going on behind closed doors? We’re using FOIA to find out. americanoversight.org/investigatio...

In April, the CDC blocked the release of a study that showed the covid vaccine is effective. Experts had already approved it. This raises concerns that scientists aren't allowed to share info that conflicts with RFK Jr.’s beliefs. We FOIAed comms about the study's cancellation.

Aggressive immigration enforcement is a defining feature of Trump’s second term. We’re using FOIA to learn more about what ICE is doing and how it’s attempting to avoid accountability. Learn more about our investigation in this week’s newsletter: americanoversight.org/newsletter/t...

Through public records requests, we exposed ICE’s involvement in the death of Ruben Ray Martinez and uncovered an agreement that gave ICE access to sensitive taxpayer data. We’ve filed more than 100 requests to expose even more. americanoversight.org/investigatio...

A whistleblower says DOGE planned to use Social Security data to mark 2.7 million living people as dead—cutting them off from wages, banking, and other basic services—to force them out of the US. We’re using FOIA to investigate DOGE’s access to the data. www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...

19 people have died in ICE detention so far this year. We don’t know enough about these deaths, because ICE stopped sharing key information. We’re suing to find out what ICE has been hiding. Families deserve answers about their loved ones. americanoversight.org/deaths-in-cu...

Todd Blanche, Trump’s former personal defense lawyer, is up for confirmation as U.S. Attorney General. He has said he has a “continuing duty of loyalty and confidentiality” to Trump. More in today’s newsletter: americanoversight.org/newsletter/t...

Trump wants Todd Blanche—his former personal defense attorney—to be attorney general. Blanche has said that he has a “continuing duty of loyalty” to Trump. We filed FOIA requests for records that could show if that includes using his role to shield Trump. www.documentcloud.org/documents/28...

Earlier this year, the FDA refused to review Moderna’s application for a new flu vaccine—even though the FDA had cleared the trial design in 2024. Vinay Prasad—the FDA’s top vaccine regulator—reportedly overruled career scientists. We FOIAd his communications to find out why.

In 2020, Trump allegedly took classified docs to Mar-A-Lago, including records that were so classified only six people had seen them. There’s an entire report on this scandal. But a judge has been keeping it hidden for years. We’re fighting for its release. joycevance.substack.com/p/trumps-pas...

A whistleblower says DOGE planned to use Social Security data to mark 2.7 million living people as dead—cutting them off from wages, banking, and other basic services—to force them to leave the US. We’re using FOIA to investigate DOGE’s access to the data. www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...

ICE’s expansion is a defining feature of Trump’s second term. ICE is tearing families apart, arresting protesters, and killing people–all while dodging accountability. We’ve exposed unreported deaths and illegal data sharing. We’re just getting started. americanoversight.org/investigatio...

The Trump admin is openly abusing federal power to attack the SPLC. Today, some of his allies in Congress did the same. We’re fighting back. We launched an investigation and FOIAed for internal emails that could show what’s going on behind the scenes. americanoversight.org/splc-politic...

The FDA is claiming chest binders should be classified as medical devices subject to FDA regulation. It seems the FDA is bending its regulatory powers to go after products used by trans and non-binary people. We FOIAed analysis and comms regarding binders.

ICE has reportedly been taking DNA samples from protesters they arrest, raising concerns that ICE is building a DNA database. We want to know how ICE is retaining and/or using DNA samples, and if this has increased in the last year. We FOIAed to find out.

Deaths in immigration custody are at record levels. We need to know what is happening, how officials are responding, and whether more could have been done to prevent these deaths. We filed two new lawsuits to find out. More in this week’s newsletter: americanoversight.org/newsletter/i...

This week, Trump named FHFA Director Bill Pulte as acting director of national intelligence. Pulte has used his FHFA position to accuse Trump’s critics of mortgage fraud. We sued for records to learn more about Pulte’s relationship with the White House. americanoversight.org/american-ove...

Former DHS Secretary Kristi Noem may have violated the law by using taxpayer funds to attend a partisan event. We asked the Office of Special Counsel to investigate. americanoversight.org/kristi-noem-...

Until late last year, ICE routinely published detailed reports on deaths in its custody. It replaced those reports with brief summaries that omit key info. We’re suing to find out what ICE has been hiding. Families deserve answers about their loved ones. americanoversight.org/deaths-in-cu...

In February, the Trump admin adopted a policy that bans gender-affirming care in federal prisons — including taking people off of their medications. We need to know how this policy is being implemented, so we FOIAed for the instructions to staff and reports on impacted people.

Kristi Noem may have violated the Hatch Act when she used taxpayer funds to attend a partisan event during her time at DHS. We’re demanding an investigation. More in today’s newsletter: americanoversight.org/newsletter/i...

Janice Johnston resigned from the Georgia State Election Board. She used her position to undermine trust in Georgia’s elections, promote election denialism, and resist basic transparency. We’ll still keep fighting to hold the State Election Board accountable. americanoversight.org/janice-johns...

Trump just stripped job protections from 8,000 federal workers by reclassifying them as “Schedule F” employees. Now, they can be fired for disagreeing with Trump. We’ve sued for records that could shed light on how Trump plans to implement this change. www.americanoversight.org/american-ove...

NEW: Watchdog @weareoversight.bsky.social submitted a complaint to the U.S. Office of Special Counsel alleging Kristi Noem may have violated the Hatch Act by taking a taxpayer funded trip to a Republican event in June 2025 and DHS's use of its official Flickr to publicize Noem's attendance.

NEW: Records we obtained suggest Kristi Noem used taxpayer funds to attend a partisan Republican political event. That violates the Hatch Act. We’re asking the U.S. Office of Special Counsel to investigate. americanoversight.org/kristi-noem-...

NEW: We just filed two new lawsuits against the Trump admin to get answers about deaths in immigration custody. Deaths in detention are at record levels, but DHS is telling the public less and less. We’re fighting back. americanoversight.org/deaths-in-cu...

The Trump admin says its dozens of boat strikes in waters off South America are intended to stop drug trafficking. But reporting makes it clear the strikes aren’t accomplishing that goal. www.nytimes.com/2026/05/29/w...

Federal law enforcement officers are conducting “welfare checks” on unaccompanied migrant children. The checks could be used as a pretext to target kids and their families for deportation. We sued for records to investigate. americanoversight.org/american-ove...

ICE isn’t just surveilling immigrants — it’s surveilling all of us. We need to know more about how ICE is using facial recognition and mass surveillance technologies. We FOIAed ICE for internal documents including surveillance liability assessments and policies.

Earlier this year, federal officials cut childhood vaccine recs for RSV, Hepatitis A and B, meningitis, and more. Doctors nationwide now report treating more kids with serious illnesses. We’re investigating the justification for the vaccine changes. www.nytimes.com/2026/06/02/w...

Trump just named FHFA Director Bill Pulte as acting director of national intelligence. Pulte has used his FHFA position to accuse the president’s critics of mortgage fraud. We sued for records to learn more about Pulte’s relationship with the White House. americanoversight.org/american-ove...

Experts predict SNAP cuts could cause nearly 70,000 deaths by 2040. We sent FOIA requests to key states asking how the cuts will affect costs and operations, and to the federal government to find out if the cuts are based on misleading claims. americanoversight.org/investigatio...

ICE has created a public records catch-22: Local law enforcement says only ICE can respond to records requests about 287(g) partnerships, but ICE says only local law enforcement has access to the info. Here’s how it's dodging accountability for its work. americanoversight.org/ice-287g-foi...

This Pride month feels urgent for many. To kick things off, we’re highlighting our investigations of attacks on the LGBTQ+ community from the Trump administration and states. Here are key details we’ve uncovered through public records.

The Trump admin is urging agencies to use AI on everything from transportation to health care. This will affect regulations that protect peoples' health and safety, and we don’t know what safeguards there are. We need to know if agencies are cutting protections based on AI recs.

Trump’s tariffs raised the cost of groceries, toys, and diapers. Now, the war in Iran is raising the cost of gas and inflation is rising. We’re tracking how Trump’s economic policies are hurting everyday Americans — and who they’re benefitting. americanoversight.org/investigatio...

The Trump administration has offered conflicting justifications for its war in Iran. We need to know how the admin is justifying its strikes on Iran behind closed doors. We FOIAed DOD for talking points prepared for Congressional briefings and DOD press offices.

Bondi is appearing before members of the House Oversight Committee this morning. This week's newsletter explains what to look for in her testimony, and our new lawsuit fighting for answers about DOJ’s review of the investigative files on Jeffrey Epstein. americanoversight.org/newsletter/n...