Filed Date: April 29, 2026
Case Ongoing
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(This summary is temporary while we research the case.)
The Protect Democracy Project ("Protect Democracy"), a nonpartisan nonprofit organization, filed suit on April 29, 2026, against the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the U.S. Department of the Treasury in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The lawsuit arose from a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request that Protect Democracy submitted to the IRS on December 19, 2025, seeking directives, memoranda, guidance, and policies related to the IRS's implementation of President Trump's Executive Order designating Antifa as a domestic terrorist organization and National Security Presidential Memorandum 7 concerning domestic terrorism. The IRS responded on January 12, 2026, claiming that a search was conducted and no responsive records were located. Protect Democracy appealed on March 12, 2026, arguing the search was inadequate, but as of the filing date had received no final determination despite the IRS's representation that it would complete its appeal review by April 28, 2026. The complaint asserts two counts under FOIA: failure to conduct an adequate search and wrongful withholding of non-exempt records. Protect Democracy seeks a court order compelling the IRS to conduct a proper search, produce all non-exempt responsive records along with a *Vaughn* index, and award attorneys' fees and litigation costs.
Summary Authors
Niam Vora (6/16/2026)
For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/73262025/parties/protect-democracy-project-v-internal-revenue-service/
Lewis, Emma (District of Columbia)
Martinez, Daniel Havlir (District of Columbia)
Atras, Robert J. (District of Columbia)
See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/73262025/protect-democracy-project-v-internal-revenue-service/
Last updated June 20, 2026, 3:12 a.m.
State / Territory:
Case Type(s):
Public Benefits/Government Services
Special Collection(s):
Trump Administration 2.0: Challenges to the Government
Key Dates
Filing Date: April 29, 2026
Case Ongoing: Yes
Plaintiffs
Plaintiff Description:
Nonpartisan nonprofit organization seeking records concerning Internal Revenue Service implementation of executive branch domestic-terrorism directives.
Plaintiff Type(s):
Non-profit NON-religious organization
Public Interest Lawyer: Yes
Filed Pro Se: No
Class Action Sought: No
Class Action Outcome: Not sought
Defendants
Federal
Internal Revenue Service
U.S. Department of the Treasury
Defendant Type(s):
Facility Type(s):
Case Details
Causes of Action:
Declaratory Judgment Act, 28 U.S.C. § 2201
FOIA (Freedom of Information Act), 5 U.S.C. § 552
Other Dockets:
District of District of Columbia 1:26-cv-01486
Available Documents:
Outcome
Prevailing Party: None Yet / None
Relief Sought:
Relief Granted:
Source of Relief:
Issues
General/Misc.:
Case Summary of Protect Democracy Project v. Internal Revenue Service, Civil Rights Litig. Clearinghouse, https://clearinghouse.net/case/48184/ (last updated 6/16/2026).