Reclaim the Records #genealogy #RootsTech @reclaimtherecords.org
07.03.2026 23:18
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Reclaim the Records #genealogy #RootsTech @reclaimtherecords.org
I did research there in July 2022, my grandfather was born in Gablonz, where the family had lived since the 1880s. The archivist helped find school records and architectural plans for some of the houses my family had built, among other documents.
Last year, I decided to sue the government.
If the government will not follow the law, researchers and families are left with one lever: litigation
Read more at www.linkedin.com/posts/richve....
#FOIA #records #citizenship #genealogy
OK, if it was before 1956 then all the documentation should from his A-File should have been moved to his Certificate File (C-File) upon naturalization. However, hundreds of thousands of people still have A-Files who meet these criteria, but I believe most of them have moved to Kansas City.
2) If you don't find the entry there AND the person did not become a citizen before 30 March 1956: any A-File would still be with USCIS so you would need to submit a genealogy program request (genealogy.uscis.dhs.gov) but you could go straight to the record request (A-File below 8 million)
Mid-century INS records are always fun. CER only has the digitized microfilms of the 2-page AR-2 forms (rarely there's a third page.)
There may also be an A-File, I'd first search RG 566 (US Citizenship & Immigration Services) - 2.1 million file entries: catalog.archives.gov/search-withi... -
Was this request processed through CER (center for electronic records at A2 in College Park) or for records at Kansas City?
Happy New Year, you guys! It's time for our 2025 Year in Review, and a look ahead to 2026 -- what records are going online next?!
www.reclaimtherecords.org/about/year-i...
The information is still in their files, but they're finding excuses to not process certain records at all, primarily foreign language documents in the A-Files, including birth certificates, divorce records, etc.
Here's a side-by-side comparison (2024 on left, 2025 on right) of an A-File for a relative (b. 1909, d. 2007). The 43-page release from 2024 (no redactions) is now 38 pages: 5 pages deleted, 9 pages withheld in full, 18 pages with redactions, 11 released in full drive.google.com/file/d/18ZO6...
If you've been noticing that USCIS A-File FOIA searches and responses have gotten much worse over the last few months, we now have confirmation of their intentional policy changes due to a whistleblower. Today's court filing & 17-page whistleblower letter from PACER: drive.google.com/file/d/1Ravs...
Visit www.NewYorkDeathIndex.com to search the first ever public NYS death index for 1973 - 2017. Place of death also available starting in 1957 so you can order genealogy copies (death >50 years ago) from a local municipality and skip the 5 year NYS DOH wait. (NYC is separate and not included)
www.lbi.org/events/court...
Anyone in New York City in January who wants to learn a bit more about re-naturalisation rights of German Jews and their descendants after 1945, I’ll be giving a talk on the topic at the Leo Baeck institute on the 15th of January.
What's a #FOIA Appeal? What's some good language to use when you want to argue with the government about why they should be giving you the file you asked for, instead of some "genealogy letter"?
We got you covered, fam. Check out our advice in our latest newsletter:
mailchi.mp/reclaimthere...
This is New York State law, although some clerks within NY charge only $10 for everyone. The genealogy fee is a $20 search fee and $2 copy fee, but even with the exact information you have to pay the $22.
NEW: We just published 1.5 million NEW BIRLS records for 2020-2023, ALL FREE -- but now the VA doesn't want you to see any of them!
Read all about it in our latest newsletter:
mailchi.mp/reclaimthere...
Yes, apparently the staff cuts coupled with almost 20,000 requests led them to try to restrict access. As you see it will probably be a bit of a fight, but we’ll see what we can do
Interestingly, while VA hospitals are covered by HIPAA, the VBA that has these records is not: www.va.gov/OGC/docs/200...
Very frustrating. We were getting full files for a year or two and now this as of late July. We at Reclaim The Records put together an update: www.birls.org/updates
I heard there was a secret “b”
Toward the end of “blueberry”
But you don’t really care for AI, do you?
It went like this — the first, the fifth,
The secret “b” in the seventh
The baffled bot composing “bluebebry.”
Bluebebry
Bluebebry
Bluebebry
Bluebebry
In December, RTR launched BIRLS.org along with a very easy way to make FOIA requests for deceased veterans' claim files. As of late July, the VA will no longer release these great files, only short summaries. See www.birls.org/updates - RTR is working on learning more & fighting these changes.
🚨🚨🚨NEW AD🚨🚨🚨
OUR BILL PASSED the New York State Assembly yesterday -- UNANIMOUSLY! 🤩
It's still not a done deal yet. It has to go to the governor, and be signed, and not have last-minute line-item edits or a veto.
But we are now SO much closer to reforming New York's vital records access!
You guys...? We did it. 🥰
We won the FULL NEW YORK STATE DEATH INDEX FOR 1880-2017!
We beat the largest government agency in the state of New York (@nysdoh.bsky.social), in the highest court of the state, through a Freedom of Information Law (#FOIL) suit.
www.reclaimtherecords.org/records-requ...
30 years ago
This is a symptom of a bigger problem that extends beyond immigration into pretty much every type of civil litigation against the feds.
Almost every time you get a declaration in a case from a fed, it's from someone who has NO personal knowledge of the facts they're testifying about.
🚨 Reclaim The Records is working on A BRAND NEW LAW in the New York State Legislature! 🚨
We want to finally FIX New York State historical records access, and put it all online for everyone!
And we need your help!
Read our latest newsletter:
mailchi.mp/reclaimthere...
Screenshot showing burial details of Mary Emmett
Screenshot showing burial details of Morris Budofsky
There's a Mary Emmett who died on 21 August 1964 buried in the "Choniker" Independent Aid Association at Montefiore Cemetery in Queens. There's also a Morris Budofsky in the same section, who died in July 1967.
What is the relationship between Congress and records preservation and access? Spoiler alert: funding! Join us on Sunday 2 March to understand more and learn how your voice can make a difference. Event is open to all, but registration is required.
Are you a journalist, genealogist or historian who has ever used records from the National Archives? It's time to step up and take some simple steps to preserve federal records. And save our nation's history. Please visit this website. And share widely.
fundnara.com
