(Reuters) A U.S. appeals court on Wednesday said federal agencies properly withheld documents related to how they vet applicants for immigration benefits with the aim of uncovering possible terrorist ties, reversing a judge who ordered their disclosure.
A 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals panel said portions of a U.S. Department of State field manual on reviewing visa applications, and model questions U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services officers can ask applicants, were created for law enforcement purposes and are shielded from disclosure under the federal Freedom of Information Act.
The unanimous three-judge panel rejected claims by the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University that the documents mainly served an administrative purpose and did not relate directly to law enforcement strategies.
