DHS trades paper FOIA requests for digital filings

The Department of Homeland Security will require people submitting Freedom of Information Act and Privacy Act requests to do so electronically, rather than mailing them in, as directed by a new rule going into effect Jan. 22.

Paper requests can be tedious and time-consuming. The updated procedures are aimed at increasing workers’ efficiency by speeding up the initial data-entry processes and directing more time to searching and reviewing records corresponding to related requests, according to DHS. 

“This rule will not impose any new costs on the government or the public,” the department said in the final rule published last week. “Electronic submission via web portal is also more efficient than using the U.S. Postal Service and allows for better tracking of the submission and quicker response by the Government.”

The agency will consider exceptions in “limited circumstance,” such as for requesters without internet access. 

Federal agencies have targeted paper-based forms and requests as modernization efforts have ramped up in recent years. The Office of Personnel Management, for example, has worked to sunset its paper retirement system. 

The paperless push has extended to lawmakers as well. A bipartisan House bill introduced in July called for the digitization of federal permitting. 

President Donald Trump also signed an executive order in March requiring the Treasury Department to phase out paper check disbursements and receipts. The IRS began winding down its use in September.

While efficiency is a primary goal of the initiatives, cost-cutting is often a complementary key objective. The Trump administration said the physical infrastructure and specialized technology for digitizing paper records in the Treasury Department came with a $657 million price tag in fiscal 2024. A 2022 estimate placed the cost of paper forms for federal agencies at nearly $39 billion.

Digitizing can save money for federal agencies long term, but it often requires upfront investment. 

The Technology Modernization Fund has supported several initiatives. In 2024, TMF poured $19.5 million into helping the Social Security Administration move away from paper-based processes. The Department of Veteran Affairs, the Labor Department and DHS have received TMF funds to support digitization efforts.