ICE Stalling On More FOIA Requests Concerning Domain Name Seizures

from the and-of-course dept

Wed, Jun 15th 2011 10:25am — Mike Masnick

We recently noted that Homeland Security's ICE group appeared to be stalling in responding to a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request from Michael Robertson's NakedGovernment. It turns out that's not the only such request it's been stalling on. The folks over at Muckrock (who helped us with our own FOIA requests), alert us to the news that Aaron Swartz, the director of Demand Progress (the organization that the MPAA has been trying to smear with false accusations), filed a similar FOIA request at about the same time. There were apparently some issues with it, but those issues were resolved in February... and since then, not a peep out of ICE.

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Filed Under: dhs, domain seizures, foia, ice, stalling
Companies: demand progress

30 Comments

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Anonymous Coward, 15 Jun 2011 @ 10:33am

Uh, they're too busy fighting in the Bay of Pirates to really answer any questions. They're just trying to help succor our freedoms in the War on Kid Porn and Other Evildoers.
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Anonymous Coward, 15 Jun 2011 @ 11:00am

damn pirates and their boats made of theft ad CP. terrorizing innocent corporations who just want to have the monopoly their senate stooges promised them. any and all sympathizers are thieves and peado's.
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PrometheeFeu (profile), 15 Jun 2011 @ 11:27am

Dare I say it? I do:

They put the request on ICE.
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The eejit (profile), 15 Jun 2011 @ 11:34am

Re:
Does that mean that ICE should be fridged?
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Dude, 15 Jun 2011 @ 11:49am

Re: Re:
This sounds like a slippery slope...
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JMG, 15 Jun 2011 @ 11:52am

Re:
You forgot the

*Puts on sunglasses*

And

YEAAHHHHHHH!
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Anonymous Coward, 15 Jun 2011 @ 11:52am

11th Commandment
Thou shalt not question authority.
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PrometheeFeu (profile), 15 Jun 2011 @ 11:53am

Re: Re: Re:
But only because it's slimey.
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Anonymous Coward, 15 Jun 2011 @ 11:55am

Considering that these domain seizures are still in process at the legal level, I don't think there is much information.

FOIA isn't meant to force the state to release information about areas which are part of ongoing criminal cases. It would be incredibly stupid to think otherwise.
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Josh in CharlotteNC (profile), 15 Jun 2011 @ 12:04pm

Re: 11th Commandment
Why not?
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Atkray (profile), 15 Jun 2011 @ 12:06pm

Re:
I which case the response would be blah blah blah ongoing investigation blah blah we thank you for your interest blah blah blah we are sorry we are unable to accommodate your request at this time.

This is them just flat out ignoring legit requests.

That isn't how FOIA is supposed to work.
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Qritiqal (profile), 15 Jun 2011 @ 12:08pm

Re:
Interesting wrong? word choice: succor instead of secure

Succor means "relieve", so your comment reads:
They're just trying to help "relieve us" of our freedoms in the War on Kid Porn and Other Evildoers.
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Dark Helmet (profile), 15 Jun 2011 @ 12:13pm

Re: Re: Re: Re:
You're cold as ICE.

Aaaaaaannd now we've come full circle.

And scene....
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Josh in CharlotteNC (profile), 15 Jun 2011 @ 12:14pm

Re:
which are part of ongoing criminal cases.

Do you have a different definition of "ongoing" than the rest of the universe?

An ongoing criminal case would imply either that criminal charges have been filed, or that an investigation is still underway.

The first round of domain seizures was more than 6 months ago. Are they really still investigating those sites, because charges sure as heck haven't been filed.

It would be incredibly stupid to think otherwise.

It would be incredibly naive to think this is anything other than an attempt by ICE to hope the problem will just go away if they don't talk about it so they can keep on seizing sites at the behest of private interests without worrying about due process of law.
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Qritiqal (profile), 15 Jun 2011 @ 12:46pm

Re: Re: 11th Commandment
12th Commandment
Thou shalt not question the 11th Commandment.
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Hephaestus (profile), 15 Jun 2011 @ 12:57pm

Re: Re:
Actually they are attempting to extradite a bunch on UK citizens over this.
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Anonymous Coward, 15 Jun 2011 @ 1:13pm

Re: Re:
Josh, the domain were seized per a warrant, and the warrant is likely attached to a larger criminal investigation and process. There is no legal requirement for them to show cause or move with charges unless someone pushes the issue. The case can stay open for years.
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AdamBv1 (profile), 15 Jun 2011 @ 1:17pm

Re:
Mmmm... Cheese Pizza boats. Now I'm hungry.
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PrometheeFeu (profile), 15 Jun 2011 @ 1:29pm

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
If we won a collective funniest for this, it would be the icing on the cake.
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Anonymous Coward, 15 Jun 2011 @ 3:09pm

How come no one noticed that it's the entire gov, not just ICE, acting this way?

They make claims, offer no evidence or glimpse of information, and when challenged, simply ignore.

And people think that suing them will change anything? It's a good lol. Who runs those courts? The same corrupt government making tons of propaganda campaigns, such as ICE, DHS, The US Army (not the brightest people out there those US Army people..., I have proof too) and then they expect to be taken seriously and wonder why they're hated everywhere in the world?

Ah well... pointless to even write here, 90% of United-statesians that can't open their eyes to the oppressing regime in place in their own country.
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Anonymous Coward, 15 Jun 2011 @ 3:54pm

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
I see
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Anonymous Coward, 15 Jun 2011 @ 3:57pm

Re: Re: Re:
So when can we hear "mission accomplished"
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Any Mouse (profile), 15 Jun 2011 @ 4:30pm

Re: Re:
No, 'relieve us' sounds much closer to what they're doing.
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Any Mouse (profile), 15 Jun 2011 @ 4:33pm

Re: Re: Re:
And THAT, dear readers, is what we've all been complaining about. They don't need to show cause or actually file charges, just get a judge's rubber stamp, and then let it mold away in the filing cabinet. What does this really accomplish, though? Other than pissing off a bunch of foreign nationals and making the United States look like more of a douche than Hitler's Third Reich?
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Chris in Utah (profile), 15 Jun 2011 @ 4:45pm

Re:
Speaking about the 90% I just had a week long discussion with my mother via FB about the red herring/distraction debate on immigration after posting the a RTR news cast on the marine's honor parade. How it came up still blows my mind and the conversation stopped rather came to any meaningful conclusion.

By the people & for it? ignore your surroundings at your peril.
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Anonymous Coward, 16 Jun 2011 @ 5:30am

Re: Re: Re: Re:
Not at all. I think the government however is using the legal system within it's limits, and it's the people who were doing very questionable things that are just not showing up and going to court to ask the government to show cause, which would be their right.

I think there are some here (including yourself) that are upset that the law doesn't move at internet speed. I think now you are starting to feel what the music and movie people have felt for years, that the speed of the court system is way to slow to deal with internet related issues.

It really sucks when your side is suffering because of it, rather than winning because of it.
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Josh in CharlotteNC (profile), 16 Jun 2011 @ 6:55am

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
There is no legal requirement for them to show cause or move with charges unless someone pushes the issue. The case can stay open for years.

And you don't see this as a massive abuse of due process?

You seem to have no problem with the government seizing a business under questionable interpretations of the law, giving the owners no recourse or information on who to talk to resolve it, and not filing charges for years.

What if you were a lawyer and it was your firm they seized?

that the speed of the court system is way to slow to deal with internet related issues.

The. Government. Has. Not. Yet. Filed. Criminal. Charges.

Other than the rubber-stamped warrant, and the just now filed lawsuit, the court system was not involved. So saying that it is too slow is disingenuous.

I'm pissed off because the government is trampling people's rights at the behest of private corporations. If you want to give up your rights, you can, but you better expect those of us who care about them to resist in every manner possible.
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DannyB (profile), 16 Jun 2011 @ 7:01am

Re: Re: 11th Commandment
> Why not?

Please say where you are.

Government re-educators will be along momentarily to assist you.
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DannyB (profile), 16 Jun 2011 @ 7:05am

Re:
> ongoing criminal cases

Who are you kidding?

Ongoing criminal cases would suggest some sort of due process.

Due process would require the use of the courts, a complaint served upon the party accused, and a chance to be represented and respond.

Nope. No "ongoing criminal case" here. Not even a "case". Do you have a docket number for this "case" ?

Oh, I see. It must be classified. National security and terrorists, you know. Don't want them to learn state secrets.
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Anonymous Coward, 16 Jun 2011 @ 7:35am

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
and it's the people who were doing very questionable things that are just not showing up and going to court to ask the government to show cause, which would be their right.

Hah! That's rich! Taking the government to court requires a LOT more than just "showing up" and you know it. It requires quite a bit of money, too. So, unless you're offering to pay all of their legal expenses for them, I suggest you keep your dishonest claims to yourself, freaking industry troll.
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