Domestic surveillance fears loom over Congress debate to renew spying power

Growing concerns about Trump-era domestic surveillance practices are weighing on Capitol Hill’s debate over the reauthorization of a powerful foreign spying law on track to lapse this spring.

At issue is Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which lets spy agencies collect communications of non-U.S. persons located abroad without a warrant. While the authority is legally limited to foreign intelligence, it can sweep in Americans’ texts, emails and phone calls when they communicate with overseas targets.

Those incidental collections — which have sometimes been followed by unauthorized searches of Americans’ communications — have been extensively documented by government oversight bodies in recent years. The findings fueled reforms adopted when Congress last renewed the authority in April 2024. Section 702 is set to expire again after April 19 unless lawmakers vote to extend it.

Read more at NextGov/FCW