Records of Travel, Henry Alfred Kissinger (May 27, 1923 – November 29, 2023)

T. McElwee filed this request with the United States Customs and Border Protection of the United States of America.

It is a clone of this request.

Tracking #

CBP-AP-2024-002728

CBP-FO-2024-027280

CBP-AP-2024-002728

CBP-FO-2024-027280

Status
Completed

From: T. McElwee

To Whom It May Concern:

Pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act, I hereby request the following records:

Records of travel (including any border crossings, records of referral to secondary screening, etc.) as well as any and Customs declarations for the individual named below (with identifying information)

Full name: Henry Alfred Kissinger
DOB: May 27, 1923
POB: Fürth, Germany

Please note that it is likely that Kissinger had multiple passports. All records concerning the individual with the date of birth listed above should be considered responsive.

Mr. Kissinger is deceased. Please find proof of death attached. Privacy interests for dead persons are diminished. Records should be released in the overwhelming public interest as Kissinger was a highly influential diplomat, political scientist and geopolitical consultant who served as United States secretary of state and national security advisor under the presidential administrations of Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford.

The requested documents will be made available to the general public, and this request is not being made for commercial purposes.

In the event that there are fees, I would be grateful if you would inform me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request. I would prefer the request filled electronically, by e-mail attachment if available or CD-ROM if not.

Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. I look forward to receiving your response to this request within 20 business days, as the statute requires.

Sincerely,

T. McElwee

  • apnews.com-Henry_Kissinger_Former_US_Secretary_of_State_dies_at_100.pdf

From: United States Customs and Border Protection

08/05/2024

CBP-FO-2024-027280

Dear T. McElwee,

We are in receipt of your Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) requesting CBP maintained records. Specifically, you requested To Whom It May Concern:

Pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act, I hereby request the following records:

Records of travel (including any border crossings, records of referral to secondary screening, etc.) as well as any and Customs declarations for the individual named below (with identifying information)

Full name: Henry Alfred Kissinger
DOB: May 27, 1923
POB: Fürth, Germany

Please note that it is likely that Kissinger had multiple passports. All records concerning the individual with the date of birth listed above should be considered responsive.

Mr. Kissinger is deceased. Please find proof of death attached. Privacy interests for dead persons are diminished. Records should be released in the overwhelming public interest as Kissinger was a highly influential diplomat, political scientist and geopolitical consultant who served as United States secretary of state and national security advisor under the presidential administrations of Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford.

The requested documents will be made available to the general public, and this request is not being made for commercial purposes.

In the event that there are fees, I would be grateful if you would inform me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request. I would prefer the request filled electronically, by e-mail attachment if available or CD-ROM if not.

Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. I look forward to receiving your response to this request within 20 business days, as the statute requires.

Sincerely,

T. McElwee

Attachments:

https://cdn.muckrock.com/outbound_composer_attachments/LXHXZZTVENTLKU/129660/apnews.com-Henry_Kissinger_Former_US_Secretary_of_State_dies_at_100.pdf
Upload documents directly: https://www.muckrock.com/

An individual’s request for information pertaining to him or herself is processed under both the FOIA and the PA to afford maximum access to records. Because you have asked for copies of records about yourself, we must verify your identity to ensure that your personal information is not released to anyone other than you or someone you properly designate. The DHS FOIA regulations at 6 C.F.R. Part 5 § 5.3(a) require verification of your identity, including your full name, current address and date and place of birth.

In addition, your request must be made in writing, must contain your signature, and should either be notarized or contain a statement made under penalty of perjury as required by 28 U.S.C. §1746. Because you have not provided this documentation, your request is not a proper FOIA request, and we are unable to initiate searching for responsive records.

This is not a denial of your request, however this request will be administratively closed. Please submit a new FOIA request, along with the required information, via your SecureRelease account, and notate this case number in your request. If you do not have a SecureRelease account, it is strongly encouraged that you create one, as it is the most efficient way to submit requests, receive correspondence and receive responsive records.

Please note that this message has been sent from an unmonitored e-mail account. Any messages sent to this account will not be read.

Sincerely,
U.S. Customs and Border Protection

From: United States Customs and Border Protection

08/05/2024

CBP-FO-2024-027280

Dear T. McElwee,

We are in receipt of your Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) requesting CBP maintained records. Specifically, you requested To Whom It May Concern:

Pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act, I hereby request the following records:

Records of travel (including any border crossings, records of referral to secondary screening, etc.) as well as any and Customs declarations for the individual named below (with identifying information)

Full name: Henry Alfred Kissinger
DOB: May 27, 1923
POB: Fürth, Germany

Please note that it is likely that Kissinger had multiple passports. All records concerning the individual with the date of birth listed above should be considered responsive.

Mr. Kissinger is deceased. Please find proof of death attached. Privacy interests for dead persons are diminished. Records should be released in the overwhelming public interest as Kissinger was a highly influential diplomat, political scientist and geopolitical consultant who served as United States secretary of state and national security advisor under the presidential administrations of Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford.

The requested documents will be made available to the general public, and this request is not being made for commercial purposes.

In the event that there are fees, I would be grateful if you would inform me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request. I would prefer the request filled electronically, by e-mail attachment if available or CD-ROM if not.

Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. I look forward to receiving your response to this request within 20 business days, as the statute requires.

Sincerely,

T. McElwee

Attachments:

https://cdn.muckrock.com/outbound_composer_attachments/LXHXZZTVENTLKU/129660/apnews.com-Henry_Kissinger_Former_US_Secretary_of_State_dies_at_100.pdf
Upload documents directly: https://www.muckrock.com/

An individual’s request for information pertaining to him or herself is processed under both the FOIA and the PA to afford maximum access to records. Because you have asked for copies of records about yourself, we must verify your identity to ensure that your personal information is not released to anyone other than you or someone you properly designate. The DHS FOIA regulations at 6 C.F.R. Part 5 § 5.3(a) require verification of your identity, including your full name, current address and date and place of birth.

In addition, your request must be made in writing, must contain your signature, and should either be notarized or contain a statement made under penalty of perjury as required by 28 U.S.C. §1746. Because you have not provided this documentation, your request is not a proper FOIA request, and we are unable to initiate searching for responsive records.

This is not a denial of your request, however this request will be administratively closed. Please submit a new FOIA request, along with the required information, via your SecureRelease account, and notate this case number in your request. If you do not have a SecureRelease account, it is strongly encouraged that you create one, as it is the most efficient way to submit requests, receive correspondence and receive responsive records.

Please note that this message has been sent from an unmonitored e-mail account. Any messages sent to this account will not be read.

Sincerely,
U.S. Customs and Border Protection

From: United States Customs and Border Protection

08/05/2024

CBP-FO-2024-027280

Dear T. McElwee,

We are in receipt of your Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) requesting CBP maintained records. Specifically, you requested To Whom It May Concern:

Pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act, I hereby request the following records:

Records of travel (including any border crossings, records of referral to secondary screening, etc.) as well as any and Customs declarations for the individual named below (with identifying information)

Full name: Henry Alfred Kissinger
DOB: May 27, 1923
POB: Fürth, Germany

Please note that it is likely that Kissinger had multiple passports. All records concerning the individual with the date of birth listed above should be considered responsive.

Mr. Kissinger is deceased. Please find proof of death attached. Privacy interests for dead persons are diminished. Records should be released in the overwhelming public interest as Kissinger was a highly influential diplomat, political scientist and geopolitical consultant who served as United States secretary of state and national security advisor under the presidential administrations of Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford.

The requested documents will be made available to the general public, and this request is not being made for commercial purposes.

In the event that there are fees, I would be grateful if you would inform me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request. I would prefer the request filled electronically, by e-mail attachment if available or CD-ROM if not.

Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. I look forward to receiving your response to this request within 20 business days, as the statute requires.

Sincerely,

T. McElwee

Attachments:

https://cdn.muckrock.com/outbound_composer_attachments/LXHXZZTVENTLKU/129660/apnews.com-Henry_Kissinger_Former_US_Secretary_of_State_dies_at_100.pdf
Upload documents directly: https://www.muckrock.com/

An individual’s request for information pertaining to him or herself is processed under both the FOIA and the PA to afford maximum access to records. Because you have asked for copies of records about yourself, we must verify your identity to ensure that your personal information is not released to anyone other than you or someone you properly designate. The DHS FOIA regulations at 6 C.F.R. Part 5 § 5.3(a) require verification of your identity, including your full name, current address and date and place of birth.

In addition, your request must be made in writing, must contain your signature, and should either be notarized or contain a statement made under penalty of perjury as required by 28 U.S.C. §1746. Because you have not provided this documentation, your request is not a proper FOIA request, and we are unable to initiate searching for responsive records.

This is not a denial of your request, however this request will be administratively closed. Please submit a new FOIA request, along with the required information, via your SecureRelease account, and notate this case number in your request. If you do not have a SecureRelease account, it is strongly encouraged that you create one, as it is the most efficient way to submit requests, receive correspondence and receive responsive records.

Please note that this message has been sent from an unmonitored e-mail account. Any messages sent to this account will not be read.

Sincerely,
U.S. Customs and Border Protection

From: United States Customs and Border Protection

08/05/2024

CBP-FO-2024-027280

Dear T. McElwee,

We are in receipt of your Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) requesting CBP maintained records. Specifically, you requested To Whom It May Concern:

Pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act, I hereby request the following records:

Records of travel (including any border crossings, records of referral to secondary screening, etc.) as well as any and Customs declarations for the individual named below (with identifying information)

Full name: Henry Alfred Kissinger
DOB: May 27, 1923
POB: Fürth, Germany

Please note that it is likely that Kissinger had multiple passports. All records concerning the individual with the date of birth listed above should be considered responsive.

Mr. Kissinger is deceased. Please find proof of death attached. Privacy interests for dead persons are diminished. Records should be released in the overwhelming public interest as Kissinger was a highly influential diplomat, political scientist and geopolitical consultant who served as United States secretary of state and national security advisor under the presidential administrations of Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford.

The requested documents will be made available to the general public, and this request is not being made for commercial purposes.

In the event that there are fees, I would be grateful if you would inform me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request. I would prefer the request filled electronically, by e-mail attachment if available or CD-ROM if not.

Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. I look forward to receiving your response to this request within 20 business days, as the statute requires.

Sincerely,

T. McElwee

Attachments:

https://cdn.muckrock.com/outbound_composer_attachments/LXHXZZTVENTLKU/129660/apnews.com-Henry_Kissinger_Former_US_Secretary_of_State_dies_at_100.pdf
Upload documents directly: https://www.muckrock.com/

An individual’s request for information pertaining to him or herself is processed under both the FOIA and the PA to afford maximum access to records. Because you have asked for copies of records about yourself, we must verify your identity to ensure that your personal information is not released to anyone other than you or someone you properly designate. The DHS FOIA regulations at 6 C.F.R. Part 5 § 5.3(a) require verification of your identity, including your full name, current address and date and place of birth.

In addition, your request must be made in writing, must contain your signature, and should either be notarized or contain a statement made under penalty of perjury as required by 28 U.S.C. §1746. Because you have not provided this documentation, your request is not a proper FOIA request, and we are unable to initiate searching for responsive records.

This is not a denial of your request, however this request will be administratively closed. Please submit a new FOIA request, along with the required information, via your SecureRelease account, and notate this case number in your request. If you do not have a SecureRelease account, it is strongly encouraged that you create one, as it is the most efficient way to submit requests, receive correspondence and receive responsive records.

Please note that this message has been sent from an unmonitored e-mail account. Any messages sent to this account will not be read.

Sincerely,
U.S. Customs and Border Protection

From: T. McElwee

To whom it may concern:

I hereby APPEAL the agency's response to the FOIA given tracking number CBP-FO-2024-027280, on the following grounds:

1) The agency failed to acknowledge the request within the 20 business days. This constitutes an illegal constructive denial.

2) The agency has failed to actually read the request and has sent a form letter illegally demanding that I provide identification as though I were requesting my own records.

Had the agency read the request, it would see that I have requested "Records of travel (including any border crossings, records of referral to secondary screening, etc.) as well as any and Customs declarations for the individual named below (with identifying information)" for an individual named Henry Alfred Kissinger, DOB: May 27, 1923, POB: Fürth, Germany.

I am not Henry Alfred Kissinger; nor would I ever want to be. Upon information and belief, the agency has sent a form letter that does not even apply to this type of request.

3) The agency was provided adequate evidence that Henry Alfred Kissinger is dead; to wit, a 4 page PDF of an obituary published by Associated Press. This obituary is attached, yet again. It is also available at a link: https://apnews.com/article/henry-kissinger-obit-secretary-of-state-d7d289c3a0b911ed9b863c219cee77e8

Oroof of death is proof enough that the requested records have diminished privacy concerns.

My prayer for relief is for CBP to provide the records as originally stated in the original FOIA request, provided to the agency on November 30, 2023. Additionally, I demand that this request be answered in the order it was received, as all delays have been on the part of the agency.

The agency shall be noticed that its response to this appeal shall exhaust administrative remedies, and failure to produce records in line with the Freedom of Information Act may be addressed with a legal action for which the agency will assume the costs of litigation to force its compliance.

T. McElwee

  • apnews.com-Henry_Kissinger_Former_US_Secretary_of_State_dies_at_100.pdf

From: United States Customs and Border Protection

08/22/2024

Dear T. McElwee,

This message confirms receipt of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) appeal that you submitted to U.S. Customs and Border Protection on 8/6/2024, regarding CBP-FO-2024-027280, and received by the agency on 8/22/2024. We will process your appeal in the order it was received and as expeditiously as possible. Please reference Case File No. CBP-AP-2024-002728 in any future communications with the agency related to this appeal.
We strongly recommend that you submit future requests and appeals via our online FOIA submission portal, accessible at https://www.securerelease.us/. Creating an account will allow for real time tracking of your requests and appeals and easier access to any decisions or records issued by the agency.

Please note that this message has been sent from an unmonitored e-mail account. Any messages sent to this account will not be read.

Most Sincerely,
CBP FOIA Appeals

From: United States Customs and Border Protection

OT:RR:RDL
CBP-AP-2024-002728

08/23/2024

T. McElwee
MuckRock News, DEPT MR155337
263 Huntington Ave
Boston, Massachusetts 02115

Dear T. McElwee:

This message is in response to your correspondence received on 8/22/2024, appealing FOIA Division's determination that your FOIA request lacked a certificate of identification. Upon review of your case file, we determined that FOIA Division was incorrect. We therefore grant your appeal and remand your initial request, CBP-FO-2024-027280, to FOIA Division for processing. Questions regarding the status of your FOIA request should be directed to the FOIA Public Liaison on 202-325-0150 or by email at cbpfoiapublicliaison@cbp.dhs.gov. When communicating refer to tracking number CBP-FO-2024-027280.

You may obtain judicial review of this decision pursuant to the provisions of 5 U.S.C. §552(a) (4)(B) in the United States District Court in the District in which you reside, in the District where the agency records are situated, or in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia.

Additionally, you may contact the Office of Government Information Services (OGIS) at the National Archives and Records Administration to inquire about the FOIA mediation services they offer. The contact information for OGIS is as follows: Office of Government Information Services, National Archives and Records Administration, 8601 Adelphi Road-OGIS, College Park, Maryland 20740-6001; e-mail at ogis@nara.gov; telephone at 202-741-5770; toll free at 1-877-684-6448; or facsimile at 202-741-5769.

Please note that this message has been sent from an unmonitored e-mail account. Any messages sent to this account will not be read.

Sincerely,
CBP FOIA Appeals

From: United States Customs and Border Protection

"OT:RR:RDL
CBP-AP-2024-002728

08/23/2024

T. McElwee
MuckRock News, DEPT MR155337
263 Huntington Ave
Boston, Massachusetts 02115

Dear T. McElwee:This message is in response to your correspondence received on 8/22/2024, appealing FOIA Division's determination that your FOIA request lacked a certificate of identification. Upon review of your case file, we determined that FOIA Division was incorrect. We therefore grant your appeal and remand your initial request, CBP-FO-2024-027280, to FOIA Division for processing. Questions regarding the status of your FOIA request should be directed to the FOIA Public Liaison on 202-325-0150 or by email at cbpfoiapublicliaison@cbp.dhs.gov. When communicating refer to tracking number CBP-FO-2024-027280.<br><br>You may obtain judicial review of this decision pursuant to the provisions of 5 U.S.C. §552(a) (4)(B) in the United States District Court in the District in which you reside, in the District where the agency records are situated, or in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia.<br><br>Additionally, you may contact the Office of Government Information Services (OGIS) at the National Archives and Records Administration to inquire about the FOIA mediation services they offer. The contact information for OGIS is as follows: Office of Government Information Services, National Archives and Records Administration, 8601 Adelphi Road-OGIS, College Park, Maryland 20740-6001; e-mail at ogis@nara.gov; telephone at 202-741-5770; toll free at 1-877-684-6448; or facsimile at 202-741-5769.<br><br>Please note that this message has been sent from an unmonitored e-mail account. Any messages sent to this account will not be read.<br><br>Sincerely,<br>CBP FOIA Appeals"

From: United States Customs and Border Protection

03/19/2025

Request Number: CBP-FO-2024-027280

Dear T. McElwee:

Please use the following link to navigate to your documents. This link will be available for 365 days.

To retrieve the records associated with this request use this link Released Documents for Request CBP-FO-2024-027280 or enter https://www.securerelease.us/request-details/96933C19-29DC-42C0-9FB0-2B97E9B0FE2A/2 in your browser’s address bar. (https://www.securerelease.us/request-details/96933C19-29DC-42C0-9FB0-2B97E9B0FE2A/2)
Please login or create a new user account using the email address associated with your records request: requests@muckrock.com

From: United States Customs and Border Protection

T. McElwee
N/A
MuckRock News, DEPT MR155337
263 Huntington Ave
Boston, Massachusetts 02115

03/19/2025

CBP-FO-2024-027280

Dear T. McElwee:

A search of CBP databases produced records responsive to your Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request CBP-FO-2024-027280, requesting records maintained by CBP.

CBP has considered the foreseeable harm standard when reviewing the record set and has applied the FOIA exemptions as required by the statute and the Attorney General’s guidance. CBP has determined that the responsive records are partially releasable, pursuant to Title 5 U.S.C. § 552 and have applied the appropriate exemptions notated below:

Section 552 (FOIA)
___ (b)(1) ___ (b)(2) ___ (b)(3) ___ (b)(4) ___ (b)(5) _X__ (b)(6)
___ (b)(7)(A) ___ (b)(7)(B) __X_ (b)(7)(C) ___ (b)(7)(D) _X__ (b)(7)(E) ___ (b)(7)(F)
___ (b)(3) Statute 49 U.S.C. § 114(s)

Pursuant to DHS Instruction 262-11-004, FOIA Officers at DHS have been instructed to withhold personally identifiable information (PII) and sensitive personally identifiable information (SPII) of DHS personnel unless a determination is made that the disclosure does not raise security or privacy concerns, or if those concerns are outweighed by any public interest in that information. This policy is available online. Under this policy, the names of senior leaders, spokespersons, and political appointees are generally releasable. With respect to this FOIA request, DHS may have applied FOIA Exemption 6 to protect PII of DHS employees, including names and contact information. To the extent that has DHS withheld employee PII within these records, it has been determined that the employee(s) has/have substantial and legitimate privacy interests and that these interests are not outweighed by any public interest in the operations of the Department.

For your information, Congress excluded three discrete categories of law enforcement and national security records from the requirements of the FOIA. See 5 U.S.C. 552(c). This response is limited to those records that are subject to the requirements of the FOIA. This is a standard notification that is given to all our requesters and should not be taken as an indication that excluded records do, or do not, exist.

This completes the CBP response to your request. You may contact CBP's FOIA Public Liaison, Charlyse Hoskins, by sending an email via your SecureRelease account, mailing a letter to 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW MS 1181, Washington DC, 20229 or by calling 202-325-0150. (If you need telecommunication relay service (TRS) assistance to communicate with the CBP FOIA Office and you are in the United States, please dial 711 to obtain TRS assistance and notify the Communications Assistant that you want to contact the CBP FOIA Office at the telephone number (202) 325-0150). The FOIA Public Liaison is able to assist in advising on the requirements for submitting a request, assist with narrowing the scope of a request, assist in reducing delays by advising the requester on the type of records to request, suggesting agency offices that may have responsive records and receive questions or concerns about the agency’s FOIA process. Please notate file number CBP-FO-2024-027280 on any future correspondence to CBP related to this request.

If you are not satisfied with the response to this request, you have a right to appeal the final disposition. Should you wish to do so, you must file your appeal within 90 days of the date of this letter following the procedures outlined in the DHS regulations at Title 6 C.F.R. §5.8. Please include as much information as possible to help us understand the grounds for your appeal. You should submit your appeal via your SecureRelease account . If you do not have computer access, you may send your appeal and a copy of this letter to: FOIA Appeals, Policy and Litigation Branch, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, 90 K Street, NE, 10th Floor, Washington, DC 20229-1177. Your envelope and letter should be marked "FOIA Appeal." Copies of the FOIA and DHS regulations are available at www.dhs.gov/foia. Additional information can be found at the following link https://www.cbp.gov/sites/default/files/assets/documents/2019-Dec/definitions-exemptions-foia_0.pdf.

Additionally, you have a right to seek dispute resolution services from the Office of Government Information Services (OGIS) which mediates disputes between FOIA requesters and Federal agencies as a non-exclusive alternative to litigation. If you are requesting access to your own records (which is considered a Privacy Act request), you should know that OGIS does not have the authority to handle requests made under the Privacy Act of 1974. You may contact OGIS as follows: Office of Government Information Services, National Archives and Records Administration, 8601 Adelphi Road-OGIS, College Park, Maryland 20740-6001, e-mail at ogis@nara.gov; telephone at 202-741-5770; toll free at 1-877-684-6448; or facsimile at 202-741-5769. Please note that contacting the CBP FOIA Public Liaison or OGIS does not stop the 90-day appeal clock and is not a substitute for filing an administrative appeal.

Please note that this message has been sent from an unmonitored e-mail account. Any messages sent to this account will not be read.
Sincerely,
U.S. Customs and Border Protection