ACLU Sues Bureau of Prisons Over COVID-19 Record Keeping
The American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit against The Department of Justice, Bureau of Prisons, and Department of Health and Human Services demanding the immediate release of records pertaining to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a statement released Wednesday, the ACLU said it submitted Freedom of Information Act requests in June and July seeking documents about the federal government’s handling of the pandemic.
The ACLU’s complaint, filed in D.C. federal court, alleges the government failed to provide the requested information, while publicly declaring victory over the virus.
According to the Bureau of Prisons website, 127 inmates and 2 staff members have died from the COVID-19 virus, including two inmates at the federal complex in Terre Haute, Indiana.
The Bureau of Prisons has referred any media requesting comment to a pandemic response plan posted on its website.