Mich. FOIA Lawsuit Seeks Tanton Records

Martin Slagter, Michigan Live, Dec. 29, 2020

"The Michigan Supreme Court will hear arguments next week over whether sealed off records of an anti-immigration activist that are housed at the University of Michigan are considered public record. The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear oral arguments in the case on Jan. 6, 2021, regarding papers in the collection of the late John Tanton, who sought to end illegal immigration and set a ceiling on legal immigration. The university and complainant Hassan Ahmad will address whether the documents sought by Ahmad are within the definition of “public record” under Michigan’s Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). ... In June 2019, a Michigan Court of Appeals panel ruled the papers should be public record. ... “The main thing is to understand the second part of the story of how these organizations like FAIR, (Center for Immigration Studies) and NumbersUSA created their movement, what crucible they were forged in, where their ideology comes from and how they have crafted their messages and advocacy efforts to stall immigration reform for the last 40 years,” Ahmad said. Ahmad said oral arguments are scheduled for 11:15 a.m. on Jan. 6 and will be livestreamed on the court’s YouTube channel."