📚 What GovFacts Provides
While Public 404 tracks what government information has been removed, GovFacts provides what you need to know about your rights, federal processes, and government transparency laws.
Authoritative information to help you navigate government interactions and understand your constitutional protections.
🛡️ Immigration Enforcement Rights
Understanding your constitutional rights during immigration enforcement encounters, regardless of status.
Your Rights Include:
- Right to remain silent - You do not have to answer questions about your immigration status
- Right to refuse searches - You can refuse consent to search your home, car, or belongings
- Right to an attorney - You can ask to speak with a lawyer before answering questions
- Right to refuse signing documents - You should not sign anything you don't understand
Legal Authority Limits:
Based on GovFacts.org - What ICE Agents Can and Cannot Do:
- ICE cannot enter your home without a warrant signed by a judge
- ICE cannot arrest you based solely on your appearance or language
- ICE must identify themselves and show proper identification
- ICE cannot lie about having a warrant when they don't
⚠️ If Approached by ICE:
Stay calm, don't run, keep your hands visible, and clearly state: "I exercise my right to remain silent and I want to speak to a lawyer."
📋 Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)
Your right to access government information and what to do when information disappears.
What FOIA Guarantees:
- Public access to federal agency records and documents
- Presumption of openness - agencies must justify withholding information
- Right to appeal denials and seek judicial review
- Fee waivers for journalists, researchers, and public interest requests
When Government Information Disappears:
- File a FOIA request for the removed content
- Reference specific URLs and dates when content was accessible
- Request records about the decision to remove the information
- Appeal if your request is denied or ignored
⚖️ No FEAR Act Compliance
Federal agencies must report on civil rights, diversity, and workplace discrimination under the No FEAR Act.
What Agencies Must Disclose:
- Statistical data on equal employment opportunity complaints
- Discrimination findings and disciplinary actions taken
- Retaliation claims and their resolution
- Training programs on civil rights and anti-discrimination
When This Information Goes Missing:
- Agencies violate federal transparency requirements
- Congress loses oversight capability
- Public cannot hold agencies accountable for discrimination
- Historical civil rights progress becomes unmeasurable
Example: Commerce Department No FEAR Act Reports (currently removed from public access)
🏥 Public Health Information Rights
Understanding your right to access government health information and scientific research.
Taxpayer-Funded Research:
- CDC health data - Disease surveillance, prevention guidelines
- NIH research findings - Medical studies and clinical trials
- FDA safety data - Drug approvals and adverse event reports
- Environmental health - EPA pollution and exposure studies
When Health Information Disappears:
- Doctors lose access to treatment guidelines
- Researchers cannot build on previous studies
- Patients cannot make informed healthcare decisions
- Public health preparedness is compromised
🚨 Health Information Crisis
Over 3,000 CDC pages on HIV prevention, adolescent health, and reproductive rights have been removed since January 2025. This affects millions seeking health guidance.
🏛️ Congressional Oversight Powers
How Congress can demand information and hold agencies accountable when transparency fails.
Congressional Authority:
- Oversight hearings - Require agency officials to testify under oath
- Document subpoenas - Force agencies to produce records
- Budget control - Withhold funding from non-compliant agencies
- Legislative action - Pass laws requiring specific disclosures
How to Engage Congressional Oversight:
- Contact your representatives about missing information
- Provide specific URLs and dates of removed content
- Explain how removals affect your work or community
- Request oversight hearings on agency transparency
📊 Data Integrity & Institutional Trust
Understanding why accurate government data matters for democracy and accountability.
🚨 Current Data Crisis
Federal agencies are now publishing mathematically impossible data, undermining the presumption of regularity historically afforded to government institutions.
Examples of Data Manipulation:
- ICE Detention Numbers: 14,000+ person discrepancy between facility reports and ICE claims
- Mathematical Impossibilities: 96 facilities reported decreased cumulative totals (ADP), which is mathematically impossible
- Congressional Reporting Violations: ICE required to publish facility data every two weeks but provides false information
Why This Matters:
- Democratic oversight requires accurate information
- Courts rely on government data for legal decisions
- Congress cannot hold agencies accountable with false data
- Public trust in institutions depends on data integrity
Source: TRAC Immigration - Independent analysis of government data quality
