"Section 702, first enacted in 2008, formally allows for the surveillance of foreign 'targets.' It lets federal intelligence agencies access the communications of any 'non-US persons' not in the US."
"Critics call this the 'backdoor search loophole.' If the government wants an American's communications, all it has to do is determine they're talking to a non-US person."
"Between 2018 and 2020, the FBI used Section 702 to run searches on a member of Congress, campaign donors, more than 130 Black Lives Matter protesters, and multiple current and former United States Government officials."
"House Speaker Mike Johnson has chosen to delay the vote in what critics say is an attempt to suppress the bipartisan effort to reform FISA."
Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act is up for renewal, set to expire on April 20th. A bipartisan coalition seeks reform due to concerns over its misuse, particularly by the Trump administration. This section allows surveillance of foreign targets but enables access to Americans' communications through a loophole. Critics argue that the current administration has abused this authority. House Speaker Mike Johnson has delayed the vote, raising concerns about suppressing reform efforts. The contentious history of Section 702 includes revelations by whistleblower Edward Snowden in 2013.
Read at The Verge
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