Trump Administration Has Evaded FOIA Requests at 29 Agencies 

Washington, DC — Democracy Forward has filed suit and a motion for rapid relief to compel the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to release records pertaining to the agencies’ request for Agency RIF and Reorganization Plans (ARRP). 

Earlier this month, OMB and OPM set a deadline for “Phase 1” of Agency RIF and Reorganization Plans (ARRP) to be submitted from agencies for approval, focusing on agency cuts and reductions. These plans involve “large-scale” firings of federal employees that could cripple agencies across the federal government and the vital public services provided by our nation’s civil servants. These firing plans are deeply concerning and require transparency, considering the devastating impacts of Elon Musk’s so-called “Department of Government Efficiency’s” (DOGE) interference at agencies, including the Social Security Administration, Housing and Urban Development, the Internal Revenue Service, and more. 

Democracy Forward has filed dozens of FOIA requests at 29 agencies to bring the actions of Musk, DOGE, OPM, and OMB out of the shadows and discover the pending impact the ARRP plans could have on services millions rely on and the livelihoods of millions of American workers. Those FOIAs have gone unanswered. 

“The Trump-Musk duo continues to operate in secret, making unlawful decisions that impact every single American. We should all be concerned by efforts to threaten critical services that millions of Americans rely on and risk millions of jobs,” said Skye Perryman, President and CEO of Democracy Forward. “The American people deserve to know what’s going on behind closed doors as Musk and the Trump administration take aim at agencies that are core to the lives and livelihoods of millions of people.” 

The complaint is available here and the motion for preliminary injunction is available here. 

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Democracy Forward is a national legal organization that advances democracy and social progress through litigation, policy, public education, and regulatory engagement. For more information, please visit www.democracyforward.org.