A journalist and professor is taking legal action against two major U.S. military entities for allegedly withholding crucial information. Jacqueline Stevens, a political science professor at Northwestern University, filed a complaint on May 8, 2025, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois against the Department of the Army and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The lawsuit claims these entities failed to comply with requests under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and the Privacy Act (PA), thus obstructing her scholarly research and journalistic endeavors.
Stevens has long been engaged in scrutinizing government agencies for misconduct through her academic work and journalism. Her current case revolves around three FOIA requests she submitted to obtain records from the Army and USACE. These records pertain to two significant issues: the deployment of Army helicopters near Northwestern University and historical documents related to Northwestern's expansion into Lake Michigan during the 1960s. According to Stevens, these records are vital for her ongoing research on governmental accountability and military involvement in domestic affairs.
The complaint details that Stevens initially requested information about an Army helicopter observed near Northwestern University on April 25, 2024. Despite submitting this request via FOIA.gov on April 26, 2024, along with an expedited processing plea due to public interest concerns, she received no response or acknowledgment from the Army. Furthermore, Stevens sought documents from both the Army and USACE regarding Northwestern University's controversial campus expansion into Lake Michigan—a project dating back to between 1958 and 1963 that faced public opposition due to environmental concerns.
Stevens accuses both defendants of failing to meet statutory deadlines for responding to FOIA requests—215 business days have passed since her first request without any substantive reply or document release from either entity. She argues that such delays violate federal laws designed to ensure transparency and access to government-held information.
In her filing, Stevens seeks several forms of judicial relief: an injunction compelling the release of all improperly withheld records; a declaration affirming her right to access these documents; reimbursement for legal fees; and any additional relief deemed appropriate by the court.
Representing Stevens is attorney Amber Qureshi from Columbia, Maryland. The case has been assigned to Judge Matthew F. Kennelly with Magistrate Judge Jeannice W. Appenteng assisting. The official case identification number is 1:25-cv-05144.