FOIA Under Pressure: Staffing Cuts Trigger Compliance Risks Across Federal Agencies

This week, federal FOIA operations are facing significant challenges. A Washington Post review highlights that staffing reductions at over a dozen agencies are causing missed deadlines, with 13 agencies citing workforce cuts as the reason. Meanwhile, a WIRED report reveals that several CBP officials were removed after objecting to orders they deemed unlawful, which involved mislabeling records to avoid FOIA disclosure. In Washington state, a court upheld legislative privilege, allowing lawmakers to withhold certain internal records from public access, a decision that may be reviewed by the state Supreme Court. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has updated its FOIA regulations to align with DOJ guidance, implementing changes immediately without public comment. In Louisiana, a lawsuit against LSU seeks transparency on revenue-sharing payments to student athletes, challenging the university's denial of records requests based on privacy and competitive concerns. This case could set a precedent for public records obligations in collegiate athletics. Links to the sources for today's episode are available in the episode notes. 📚 Sources: https://www.foiaadvisor.com/foia-blog/2026/3/14/foia-news https://www.foiaadvisor.com/foia-blog/2026/3/10/foia-news https://www.everettpost.com/state-news/wa-court-of-appeals-upholds-legislative-privilege-to-withhold-internal-records https://www.foiaadvisor.com/foia-blog/2026/3/7/foia-news-nrc-amends-foia-regs-without-public-comment https://lsureveille.com/278210/news/lsu-lawsuit-nil-revenue-sharing-public-records/