Susan C. Weetman – Profile

Susan C. Weetman

Deputy Director, Office of Information Programs and Services (IPS)
U.S. Department of State

Current Position

Title: Deputy Director, Office of Information Programs and Services (A/GIS/IPS, later A/SKS/IAP)

Appointed: August 4, 2019

Agency: United States Department of State

Role: Department official immediately responsible for responding to requests for records under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), the Privacy Act of 1974, and other applicable records access provisions

Official Responsibilities

As Deputy Director of IPS and FOIA Public Liaison, Susan Weetman oversees and coordinates:

Responding to records access requests made by the public under FOIA and the Privacy Act
Coordinating the agency’s search and recovery efforts for FOIA requests at the State Department
Records management programs
National security classification management and declassification review
Corporate records archives management
Congressional records requests
Judicial process requests (subpoenas, court orders, discovery requests)
FOIA litigation matters
Complaints regarding the quality of service provided by the FOIA Requester Service Center

Career History at State Department

Deputy Director, IPS (August 4, 2019 – Present)

As Deputy Director, Weetman serves as the principal point of contact for FOIA matters and represents the Department in FOIA litigation.

Chief, Programs and Policies Division (May 15, 2016 – August 2019)

Led the division within IPS responsible for FOIA policy, litigation, appeals, and congressional document production.

Branch Chief, Litigation and Appeals (March 10, 2013 – May 2016)

Managed FOIA litigation cases and administrative appeals within the Programs and Policies Division.

Note: As of September 2019, Weetman was designated to take point for IPS on reporting to the Historical Advisory Committee (HAC) and on Foreign Relations of the United States (FRUS) matters, beginning in calendar year 2020.

Contact Information

Official Title: FOIA Public Liaison

Office: Information Access Liaison Office, A/SKS/IAP/IAL

Address: U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street N.W., Suite B266
Washington, D.C. 20520-0000

Office Location: HST 4534

Phone: 202-485-2091

Notable FOIA Litigation Involvement

CAIR v. U.S. Department of State (Case No. 3:17-CV-1061-RMS)

Court: United States District Court for the District of Connecticut

Date of Declaration: January 25, 2023

Plaintiffs: Council on American-Islamic Relations – Connecticut and Make The Road New York

Case Summary: Plaintiffs submitted a FOIA request seeking policies, training materials, and communications related to visa application adjudications, visa revocations, and refugee applications under Executive Orders 13769 and 13780.

Weetman’s Role: Filed a declaration explaining the Department’s basis for withholdings under:

Exemption 5: Attorney-client privilege and deliberative process privilege
Exemption 7(E): Law enforcement techniques and procedures related to visa screening and vetting

Key Documents at Issue:

Section 5 Report: 60-day report on progress of programs described in E.O. 13780, found in files of Bureau of Consular Affairs on classified system
C06762443: 10-page “Operational Q&A” document for consular officers on visa screening requirements
C06880428: Cable titled “ALDAC: Heightened Screening of Visa Applications – Further Guidance”
C06880690: Draft Paperwork Reduction Act submission regarding supplemental questions for visa applicants

Withheld Information: Weetman’s declaration specified that withheld material included:

Specific high-value biographic data elements for baseline vetting
Non-public data and vetting capabilities in automated system checks
Techniques for identifying fraudulent behavior or travel patterns
Procedures for collecting applicants’ information and identifying ineligibilities
Factors that trigger certain investigations and specific information collection procedures
Attorney comments and legal advice on draft documents

Rationale: Disclosure would enable suspects to avoid detection or develop countermeasures to circumvent U.S. immigration law enforcement, allowing terrorists and other bad actors to conceal derogatory information or circumvent security checks.

Zynovieva v. U.S. Department of State (Case No. 1:2019cv03445)

Court: United States District Court for the District of Columbia

Judge: Randolph D. Moss

Filed: November 15, 2019

Closed: April 3, 2023

Plaintiff: Olena Zynovieva (citizen of Ukraine, resident of UAE)

Case Details: The FOIA Project

Case Summary: Zynovieva submitted a FOIA request for records from the Department’s Consular Lookout and Support System (CLASS) database concerning herself and documents she submitted with past visa applications.

Key Ruling: Judge Moss ruled in August 2021 that the State Department could not use a “no number, no list” response as the basis for withholding three records. The court rejected the Department’s attempt to withhold records under Exemption 3 (citing 8 U.S.C. § 1202 of the Immigration and Nationality Act) without providing adequate detail about the withheld records.

Court’s Criticism: Judge Moss noted that “even if the Department cannot identify the number of records at issue, it can surely describe the nature of its processing of the records in greater detail” and that “the Department has not adequately substantiated this concern, particularly in light of the novelty of the approach the Department urges the Court to endorse.”

Outcome: Case was remanded back to the agency for more detailed justifications. The Department’s motion for summary judgment was denied, and Plaintiff’s cross-motion was also denied. Later motion for attorney’s fees was denied in March 2023, and the case was dismissed April 3, 2023.

Institutional Context

Office of Information Programs and Services (IPS)

The office Weetman helps lead has core responsibilities including:

Responding to public records access requests (FOIA, Privacy Act, mandatory declassification review)
Processing requests from Members of Congress and other government agencies
Handling judicial process requests (subpoenas, court orders, discovery)
Records management
National security classification management and declassification review
Corporate records archives management
Research services
Operation and management of the Department’s library
Technology applications supporting these activities

IPS Modernization (2019-2020)

During Weetman’s tenure as Deputy Director, IPS underwent significant modernization:

FOIAXpress Implementation: Cloud-based FOIA case management tool fully integrated with e-Records system, leveraging artificial intelligence
System Sunsetting: Existing FOIA case management system and State Archiving System (SAS) for cable traffic were sunset by end of FY 2020
Content Migration: All SAS content migrated to eRecords system
Reorganization: New IPS leadership installed as of August 2019

FOIA Litigation Trends

According to IPS Director Eric Stein in September 2019, there was a spike in new FOIA litigation cases, which he characterized as “the new normal” for the Department.

Legal Standards Applied in Weetman’s Declarations

FOIA Exemption 5 – Privileged Information

Protects inter-agency or intra-agency memoranda that would not be available in civil litigation, including:

Attorney-Client Privilege: Confidential consultations between Department attorneys and officials for obtaining legal advice, including two-way communications and facts divulged for legal counsel
Deliberative Process Privilege: Protects confidentiality of candid views and advice of government officials in internal deliberations related to policy formulation and administrative direction. Information must be both predecisional and deliberative.

FOIA Exemption 7(E) – Law Enforcement Techniques

Protects records compiled for law enforcement purposes that would disclose:

Techniques and procedures for law enforcement investigations or prosecutions that are not publicly available
Guidelines for law enforcement investigations or prosecutions if disclosure could reasonably be expected to risk circumvention of the law

Application to Visa Screening: Weetman’s declarations establish that visa screening and vetting records are compiled for the law enforcement purpose of enforcing the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). Both the Secretary of State and Secretary of Homeland Security are tasked with administration and enforcement of the INA.

Harm Standard: The agency need not demonstrate an actual or certain risk of circumvention, but rather a reasonably expected risk. Weetman consistently argues that disclosure would enable those seeking to circumvent U.S. immigration law to understand vulnerabilities in screening and vetting processes and evade detection.

Professional Approach

Based on court declarations and case records, Weetman’s approach to FOIA matters demonstrates:

Reliance on Subject Matter Experts: Her declarations consistently note that her knowledge is “based upon information furnished to me in the course of my official duties” by subject matter experts
Emphasis on Line-by-Line Review: Multiple declarations state that “The Department conducted a careful line-by-line review” and that determinations were made about whether additional segregable information could be released
Coordination with Other Agencies: In cases involving inter-agency equities (particularly with Department of Homeland Security and Office of the Director of National Intelligence), Weetman’s office coordinates review and withholding decisions
Protection of Sensitive Law Enforcement Information: Consistently argues that the Department “actively tries to prevent release of these details to the public” when it comes to visa screening techniques and procedures
Classification System Awareness: Familiar with Department policy that classified file access requires appropriate security clearance and need-to-know (citing 12 FAM 536.1)

Public Service Role

As FOIA Public Liaison, Weetman serves as a resource for requesters who:

Need assistance with the FOIA process
Want to check the status of pending requests
Have complaints about the quality of service from the FOIA Requester Service Center
Need clarification on adverse responses (though appeals follow a separate process)

Important Distinction: Complaints handled by the Public Liaison should be limited to issues regarding the processing of requests. Complaints about denied access to records, refused expedited treatment, or other adverse responses should follow the appeals guidelines rather than going to the Public Liaison.

Organizational Relationships

Reports to: Director of IPS (positions held by Eric Stein, then Tim Kootz during her tenure)

Key IPS Division Chiefs reporting structure:

Chief, Records Management Division (Agency Records Officer)
Chief Librarian, Ralph J. Bunche Library
Chief, Requester Liaison Division (FOIA Intake and Requester Service Center)
Chief, Systematic Review Program Division (Classification/Declassification Programs)
Chief, Programs and Policies Division (FOIA Litigation, Appeals, Congressional Document Production) – Weetman’s former position

External Coordination:

Department of Homeland Security (particularly on visa and immigration matters)
Office of the Director of National Intelligence
Department of Justice Office of Information Policy
Bureau of Consular Affairs (CA/VO – Directorate of Visa Services)
Historical Advisory Committee (HAC)
National Archives and Records Administration (NARA)

Technical and Legal Expertise

Weetman’s declarations and role demonstrate expertise in:

FOIA law and regulations (5 U.S.C. § 552)
Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. § 552a)
Executive orders on classified national security information
Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. § 1202)
Federal civil procedure and litigation
Vaughn Index preparation and justification
Privilege doctrines (attorney-client, deliberative process, presidential communications)
Classification and declassification procedures
Records management systems and technology
Visa screening and vetting processes (from administrative perspective)

Historical Context

Weetman assumed the Deputy Director position during a period of significant challenges and changes for State Department FOIA operations:

Increased Litigation: FOIA litigation cases were experiencing a spike, described as becoming “the new normal”
Technology Transition: Implementation of new cloud-based systems and AI tools while sunsetting legacy systems
Executive Order Implementation: Handling complex FOIA requests related to controversial executive orders on immigration (E.O. 13769 and 13780)
Transparency vs. Security Balance: Managing tensions between transparency obligations and national security/law enforcement concerns in an era of heightened security scrutiny
Congressional Oversight: Operating under increased scrutiny from Congress and inspectors general

Sources

Declaration of Susan C. Weetman, CAIR v. U.S. Department of State, Case No. 3:17-CV-1061-RMS (D. Conn.), filed January 25, 2023
Zynovieva v. U.S. Department of State, Case No. 1:2019cv03445 (D.D.C.), The FOIA Project case details
U.S. Department of State FOIA Contact Page (foia.state.gov)
State Department Organizational Directory (2019, 2021)
Historical Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes, September 2019
Memorandum Opinion, Zynovieva v. U.S. Dep’t of State, issued by Judge Randolph D. Moss, August 5, 2021

Note: This profile is based on publicly available documents including court filings, government websites, and official directories. Susan Weetman serves as a career civil servant in the U.S. Department of State and plays a critical role in managing the government’s transparency obligations while protecting sensitive national security and law enforcement information.

A Note on Accountability

This profile documents publicly available information and official government correspondence. Carlos A. Hernandez is a federal employee whose actions directly affect the welfare of American citizens abroad. Therefore, transparency about his handling of this case serves the public interest.

If you are a State Department employee with information about case OCS2025008939 or the handling of Sgt. Kelvin Blas’s situation, please preserve all relevant records. You may contact CFW confidentially at [email protected].

Truth Has No Borders™

Accountability Has No Borders™