The U.S. federal government faced an unprecedented backlog of public document requests in fiscal year 2025, processing a record number of inquiries while delivering requested information at the lowest rate in more than a decade. According to government data covering the period from October 2024 through September 2025, agencies received approximately 1.6 million Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests—the highest volume since comprehensive tracking began 16 years ago. However, only 47 percent of these were fulfilled fully or partially, marking the lowest release rate since at least 2010.

At the end of the fiscal year, the accumulated backlog of overdue FOIA requests stood at nearly 340,000. The average wait time to receive a response from agencies exceeded 240 days, far surpassing the 20-day deadline mandated by FOIA. This period encompassed the transition between the Biden administration and the early months of President Trump’s second term, during which both Democratic and Republican governments reportedly struggled to meet statutory timelines.

Experts and former FOIA officials attribute the surge in requests in part to new factors such as artificial intelligence tools simplifying the drafting of inquiries, concerted mass submissions by groups like the conservative Heritage Foundation, and an influx of requests from immigrants and their legal representatives amid heightened deportation efforts. The Heritage Foundation alone submitted over 10,000 requests since 2022, often seeking documents related to topics like voting, diversity, equity and inclusion, and climate equity.

Observers argue that the backlog and slow processing worsened under the Trump administration. Critics cite a combination of the administration’s expansive policy agenda driving increased public interest and substantial reductions in FOIA processing staff, especially early in the second Trump term. The White House Office of Management and Budget dismissed the rise in requests as driven by “left activist groups” and “Trump derangement syndrome,” while pointing out that hiring priorities favored enforcement officers over FOIA personnel. The department granted only 8 percent of requests it processed in fiscal 2025, down from 31 percent the year before.

The Justice Department, responsible for overseeing compliance with FOIA across agencies, acknowledged the record volume and said it had maintained staffing levels, unlike many other agencies. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) received 60 percent of requests overall and maintained that it remains the most transparent in U.S. history, disputing claims of FOIA process undermining. DHS, however, cut more than 30 percent of FOIA staff and had some of the largest backlog increases, with one staffer handling an average of 2,207 requests—a workload rise of 60 percent year-over-year.

The proportion of requests fulfilled without any redactions dropped to around 9 percent, from 22 percent a decade earlier, raising concerns among watchdogs about potential overuse of exempting information under FOIA rules. Agencies are legally required to release civil records unless specific exemptions apply, such as those protecting national security or personal privacy.

Cases like that of Gaston D’Agrieri, who has waited over a year for Education Department records needed to pursue student loan cancellation, illustrate the tangible impacts of the delays. His lawyer filed a FOIA request on his behalf amid large cuts to FOIA staff at the department, where the backlog jumped 83 percent over the previous year.

Former FOIA officials and advocates point to several additional factors behind the backlog: significant workforce reductions by the Department of Government Efficiency under Elon Musk’s oversight, intensified demand following political controversies, and administrative changes. Interviews revealed instances of FOIA personnel being reassigned or dismissed after releasing politically sensitive information, highlighting fears that transparency efforts may come at professional costs.

Furthermore, agencies increasingly seek clarifications on requests that appear clearly stated, effectively pausing the statutory response clock and prolonging processing times. Government attorneys have also sought extended deadlines in FOIA litigation, including requests to redact court documents to minimize emphasis on public interest claims—tactics critics say contribute to systemic delays.

Some officials expressed concern that the Trump administration’s approach to FOIA amounted to deliberate obstruction, employing “delay tactics” to diminish the public impact of disclosures over time. Changes such as DHS’s cessation of automatic text message archiving for top officials and the White House’s legal challenges to the Presidential Records Act have raised additional questions about future transparency.

Established in 1967, FOIA remains a critical tool for journalists, researchers, immigrants, veterans, and other members of the public seeking access to government information. However, the growing backlog and declining response rates documented in fiscal year 2025 signal ongoing tensions between information demand and agency capacity or willingness to comply fully with the law’s requirements.