Case: Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University v. Office of Management and Budget
1:26-cv-07040 | U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
Filed Date: Aug. 18, 2026
Case Ongoing
Clearinghouse coding complete
Case Summary
This lawsuit, filed by the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University, challenges the government’s failure to disclose information under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) regarding its approval and rejection of social media disclosure requirements for immigrants and travelers to the United States. On August 18, 2026, the Knight Institute filed this suit in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York against the Office of Management and Budget (“OMB”) and the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (“OIRA”). OIRA is a sub-department of OMB tasked with reviewing executive proposals involving collections of information from the public. The complaint alleged that OIRA and OMB failed to comply with FOIA requests within the statute's time limits and to grant the Knight Institute's request for a fee waiver across three requests filed between 2024 and 2026. The Knight Institute sought injunctive relief, asking the court to compel both agencies to search and produce the requested records and enjoin any fees charged relating to the requests. The three FOIA requests at issue — filed between August 2, 2024, and December 9, 2025 — went to Customs and Border Protection ("CBP"), the Department of State ("DOS"), and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services ("USCIS"). OMB acknowledged receipt of the requests but has not released any of the requested records to date. This case was assigned to Judge Denise L. Cote.
The social media disclosure requirements at the center of this litigation stem from a series of agency proposals by DOS, CBP, DHS, and USCIS from 2020 to 2025, which all similarly sought to add requirements to key immigration and travel forms. Since the Obama Administration, the federal government has collected social media information on a voluntary basis from travelers and immigrants. In 2020, DHS sought to add a mandatory social media disclosure on twelve different immigration forms, including applications for asylum, naturalization, and registration for classification as a refugee. In 2022, CBP requested permission for a similar requirement for individuals who enter the country pursuant to the Visa Waiver Program. OIRA denied both proposals and, regarding the 2020 DHS proposal, concluded that DHS had failed to demonstrate "the practical utility" of collecting the information.
This case is ongoing as of October 1, 2026.
Summary Authors
Spencer Wang (10/1/2026)
Documents in the Clearinghouse
Docket
See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/74663721/knight-first-amendment-institute-at-columbia-university-v-office-of/
Last updated Oct. 4, 2026, 3:08 a.m.
Docket for: Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University v. Office of Management and Budget
Case Details
State / Territory:
Case Type(s):
Special Collection(s):
Trump Administration 2.0: Challenges to the Government
Key Dates
Filing Date: Aug. 18, 2026
Case Ongoing: Yes
Plaintiffs
Plaintiff Description:
The Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University is a New York not-for-profit corporation whose mission centers on freedom of speech and press advocacy. The organization is based at Columbia University.
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
Defendant Type(s):
Case Details
Causes of Action:
FOIA (Freedom of Information Act), 5 U.S.C. § 552
Other Dockets:
Southern District of New York 1:26-cv-07040
Available Documents:
Outcome
Prevailing Party: None Yet / None
Relief Sought:
Relief Granted:
Source of Relief:
Issues
General/Misc.:
Immigration/Border:
Case Summary of Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University v. Office of Management and Budget, Civil Rights Litig. Clearinghouse, https://clearinghouse.net/case/48403/ (last updated 10/1/2026).