Introduction
The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) is a crucial piece of legislation that governs surveillance activities conducted by the United States government in order to gather foreign intelligence information.
What is FISA?
FISA is a law that was enacted in 1978 in response to concerns about the legality of intelligence surveillance activities carried out by the government. The main purpose of FISA is to establish procedures for the collection, handling, and dissemination of foreign intelligence information.
What Does FISA Stand For?
FISA stands for Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. It is designed to provide guidelines and oversight for the surveillance of foreign entities and individuals, including those located within the United States.
How Does FISA Work?
Under FISA, the government must obtain a warrant from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC) in order to conduct electronic surveillance or physical searches in the United States for the purpose of gathering foreign intelligence information. The court is responsible for reviewing and approving applications for surveillance warrants based on the government’s submission of evidence and supporting documents.
Examples of FISA in Action
One notable example of FISA in action is the surveillance of foreign embassies and diplomatic missions located within the United States. The government may seek a FISA warrant to conduct surveillance on these facilities in order to gather intelligence on foreign governments and their activities.
Case Studies
In 2013, former National Security Agency (NSA) contractor Edward Snowden leaked classified information revealing the extent of the government’s surveillance activities, including its use of FISA to collect metadata on millions of American citizens. This sparked a national debate about privacy rights and government surveillance.
Statistics
According to a report released by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the government submitted 1,456 applications for FISA warrants in 2019, with the court approving 1,457 requests. This demonstrates the high rate of approval for surveillance warrants under FISA.
