According to Bailey's lawsuit, the government has not provided records on illegal immigrant transportation into Missouri
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Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey is filing a lawsuit against the Biden administration for reportedly flying illegal immigrants to Missouri.
Bailey told Fox News Digital he is filing a lawsuit against President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris for refusing to turn over documents related to flying illegal immigrants into Missouri.
"We have reason to believe they are deliberately flying illegal aliens from the border into our cities. Not on my watch," Bailey wrote in a post on X.
In his lawsuit that he shared exclusively with Fox News Digital, Bailey says the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has intentionally delayed responding to his request for the documents about the flights to Missouri.
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Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey and President Biden. (Getty Images )
"This game of ‘hide and seek’ violates the spirit and the letter of FOIA, which states that an agency shall withhold information only when the agency ‘reasonably foresees that disclosure would harm an interest protected by an exemption’ or if ‘disclosure is prohibited by law’," the lawsuit reads.
"DHS’s withholding of crucial information has frustrated the ability of citizens to exercise the rights Congress outlined in the FOIA statute. This lack of transparency and refusal to comply with lawful FOIA demands has hindered efforts by the Missouri Attorney General's Office to determine the size and scope of illegal immigration within the Show Me state," the lawsuit continued.
Bailey said the transportation of illegal immigrants into Missouri is a matter of public concern, and the citizens of Missouri have a right to know the facts about these alleged activities.
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Andrew Bailey, Missouri's attorney general, during a House Homeland Security Committee hearing in Washington, DC, US, on Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2024. (Graeme Sloan/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
The lawsuit also alleges that DHS did not provide any notice that its response and/or production of documents would be delayed due to "unusual circumstances."
Bailey added that DHS has also failed to produce any records responsive to the request or to demonstrate that responsive records are exempt from production. DHS has also failed to indicated when it will produce responsive records, Bailey said.
"Once again, the Biden Administration is trying to stonewall and circumvent every aspect of the law in order to hide information from Americans," Bailey alleged. "Their most recent refusal to provide the truth about the flying of illegal immigrants into Missouri is just the tip of the iceberg."
Bailey said this lack of action reflects a larger pattern of deploying delay and diversion tactics to avoid producing documents legally requested under FOIA.
Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey is suing the Biden administration over secrecy related to alleged flights for illegal immigrants. (Bloomberg via Getty Images)
"Here in Missouri, we hold bad actors accountable when they refuse to obey the law, even the federal government. I will not stop until I obtain answers for Missourians," Bailey said.
Back in June, Missouri joined an 18-state coalition in filing suit against the Biden administration for its proposed new "Circumvention of Lawful Pathways," which allowed "vast numbers of aliens to enter the country and receive instant work authorization and quick access to public benefits."
"The situation at the southern border is out of control, all thanks to Joe Biden," Bailey previously said. "He refuses to carry out his constitutionally mandated responsibilities, so we’re taking him to court to force him to do his job."
