Warrantless backdoor searches (FISA Section 702)

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A bombshell report from WIRED reveals that two days after the U.S. Congress renewed and expanded the mass-surveillance authority Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, the deputy director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Paul Abbate, sent an email imploring agents to “use” Section 702 to search the communications of Americans collected under this authority “to demonstrate why tools like this are essential” to the FBI’s mission.

In other words, an agency that has repeatedly abused this exact authority—with 3.4 million warrantless searches of Americans’ communications in 2021 alone, thinks that the answer to its misuse of mass surveillance of Americans is to do more of it, not less. And it signals that the FBI believes it should do more surveillance–not because of any pressing national security threat—but because the FBI has an image problem.
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www.eff.org

The FBI is Playing Politics with Your Privacy

A bombshell report from WIRED reveals that two days after the U.S. Congress renewed and expanded the mass-surveillance authority Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, the deputy director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Paul Abbate, sent an email imploring agents...
www.eff.org www.eff.org

Infuriating. Spineless DC jellyfish are enabling this abuse. People who re-elect these jellyfish are also contributing to the problem.
 


Former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (Hawaii), President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for director of national intelligence, is changing her tune on a key intelligence-gathering authority she once sought to repeal as her Senate confirmation hangs in the balance.

Gabbard’s past criticisms of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act have emerged as a central issue in her confirmation process, leaving GOP senators — including some in leadership — increasingly skeptical about the former Democrat’s confirmation prospects.

In her first public comments since being nominated, Gabbard told us in an exclusive statement that she now supports Section 702, saying the program is “crucial” and “must be safeguarded to protect our nation while ensuring the civil liberties of Americans.”

“If confirmed as DNI, I will uphold Americans’ Fourth Amendment rights while maintaining vital national security tools like Section 702 to ensure the safety and freedom of the American people,” Gabbard said.

In private meetings, senators are questioning Gabbard about legislation she introduced in 2020 that would repeal Section 702.

However, Gabbard now appears to be walking that back ...
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punchbowl.news

Gabbard reverses course on key intel-gathering tool as nomination teeters

Tulsi Gabbard is changing her tune on a key intelligence-gathering authority she once sought to repeal as her Senate confirmation hangs in the balance.
punchbowl.news punchbowl.news

The swamp is powerful.
 
Hopefully she just lies to get confirmed and then does away with the program anyway. Fock em, the swamp lies everyday. I'd then like her to investigate every member of congress and expose them all even though they exempted themselves from the program. 1st, they have no constitutional authority to take away god given rights of Americans and therefor have no protection from a program that shouldn't exist anyway. Let it blow back on them once the info is released and see how they like having their privacy violated.
 
October 24, 2025 1:12PM

Cato Sues FBI Over FISA Records, Again​

For the second time in as many years, the Cato Institute has sued the Department of Justice (DoJ) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for internal records regarding the Bureau’s use (or misuse) of Section 702 surveillance powers of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). First, some background.

This particular surveillance power, the legalized version of the previously illegal post‑9/11 STELLAR WIND program, has been serially abused since its creation in 2008. Last year, Cato filed its first FISA Section 702-related lawsuit after the DoJ slow-rolled a Cato Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request seeking internal DoJ and FBI records regarding the number of times FBI agents had improperly searched electronically stored data on Americans swept up under the Section 702 program. The first lawsuit gained urgency as the deadline for Congress to renew or let die the Section 702 program approached in April 2024.

More:

 
rollcall.com

FBI, CIA chiefs meet with Senate GOP over spy authority renewal

Two key Trump administration officials huddled with Senate Republicans behind closed doors Wednesday to discuss a powerful but controversial surveillance authority that expires next month, an issue that for years has bitterly divided privacy hawks and intelligence-focused lawmakers. FBI Director...
rollcall.com rollcall.com
 
Unfortunately nothing will happen. The surveillance state will not be neutered.
 
rollcall.com

House sets precarious path for renewing surveillance program

Speaker Mike Johnson previewed a floor strategy Wednesday that would leave little room for Republican defections as he pushes to renew a powerful surveillance authority, with chamber leadership navigating a precarious path amid objections from GOP critics of the program. The Trump administration...
rollcall.com rollcall.com
 
The very tools used against Trump, he wants to keep in place. Hopefully they can get rid of this in 2 weeks. At least force the Gov to get a warrant to spy on Americans.

The politicians claim they need this because there are terrorists here in America. There are terrorists here in America because politicians flew them in as refugees and failed to vet them properly as well as allowed millions to come across the border
 
They can't blame the current admin for it. The real reason the D's are fighting against FISA is because THEY have been using it themselves for longer than that!

FISA brings down the house



...some of **THE** most **POWERFUL PEOPLE** in Washington DC, LEAKTOWN USA ITSELF...

...were targets of a federal grand jury investigation being led by SOME REALLY MYSTERIOUS PROSECUTION TEAM...

...IT...NEVER...LEAKED.

There were no leaks.

Not one.

Not even ONE.

How in God's name was that even possible?

Given all the Deep State embeds in the DOJ, FBI, etc.?

I mean...how?

HOW DO YOU PULL THIS OFF?

And yet...

And yet...

THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED.

People who sit in OVERSIGHT of intelligence and law enforcement agencies were subjected to domestic-side FISA warrants and spied on by intelligence and law enforcement officials.

FOR. THREE. YEARS.

The Silent Professionals.

They don't leak.

You're not even gonna know they're there.

Ain't life grand?
 
Nothing to see, can listen in one tab, play around the forum in a different tab.

FISA 702 is Unconstitutional | Guest: Rep. Thomas Massie | Ep 382​

Apr 22, 2026 Kibbe on Liberty
President Trump has been vocal about the deep state using FISA Section 702 to violate his rights and spy on his campaign activities. Now that he is in office, however, he is calling for a reauthorization of this same program, claiming that he is willing to give up his Fourth Amendment protections to support the military, despite not being able to point to a single instance when Section 702 was used to apprehend a terrorist. Matt Kibbe sits down with ‪@RepThomasMassie‬ (R-Ky.) to talk about the importance of protecting American citizens from government surveillance and how the complete secrecy with which intelligence agencies operate undermines our democracy.


1:07:23
 
rollcall.com

New FISA proposal unveiled in House

House Republicans on Thursday released a new proposal that would extend a powerful surveillance authority for three years, but it was not immediately clear if it would garner enough support to win passage in the chamber. The updated text would reauthorize Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence...
rollcall.com rollcall.com
 
Re: New FISA proposal

"Three-year extension of surveillance powers would not include warrant requirement "

F that.
 

Congress gives contested spy law 45-day extension, delays broader approval​

U.S. lawmakers on Thursday approved a 45-day reprieve for the controversial electronic-surveillance program known as Section 702, acting hours before U.S. spy agencies’ authority would have been thrown into limbo.

The vote was the latest near-death experience for the Foreign Intelligence Service Act’s 702 program, which allows the government to collect from U.S. communications firms the texts, emails and phone calls of foreigners living overseas, without a warrant. Those intercepts sometimes collect data from communications involving U.S. citizens.

More:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/poli...broader-approval/ar-AA2280CL?ocid=socialshare
 
www.eff.org

The 702 Ultimatum: Warrant Requirement or Bust

For months now, Congress has been kicking the ball down the road—temporarily postponing the expiration of the mass surveillance authority Section 702 of FISA in hopes that some consensus could be reached. Now, with the deadline looming, the stakes have never been higher. Nearly every time the...
www.eff.org www.eff.org
 
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