Intelligence officials under the Trump administration are urging Congress to extend warrantless surveillance authorities before the Thanksgiving recess, citing concerns that the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court may soon lose the ability to recertify the program. The push centers on Section 702 of the FISA law, which relies on both congressional approval and periodic judicial review to maintain its legal standing. Without renewal, the program—used to collect communications of foreign targets abroad—could face an uncertain future, raising questions about national security oversight. Lawmakers now face a tight deadline to balance surveillance needs with privacy protections before the break.
Trump administration intelligence officials are pressing Congress to renew the nation’s warrantless spy powers before Thanksgiving, warning they could run out of time to get a needed annual recertification for the program from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC). Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) operates under dual authorities from Congress and...
