Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act
For too long, this law has allowed the government to evade privacy protections and spy on Americans. Reform is overdue.
ACTION: Call congress and ask for reform of FISA 702-to prevent warrantless spying on Americans.
- There are two competing bills in Senate propose reforms.
- Ask your congressperson to support the boarder Government Surveillance Reform Act (GSRA) bill.
- SAFE Act by Durbin and Lee is better than no reform but not as good as GSRA.
The Government Surveillance Reform Act (GSRA) and the Lee-Durbin Security and Freedom Enhancement (SAFE) Act are both bipartisan legislative efforts aimed at curbing government surveillance, particularly the warrantless collection of Americans' data under FISA Section 702. The GSRA is described as a more comprehensive reform bill, while the SAFE Act focuses on serving as a compromise to secure reauthorization of Section 702 with added protections.
Key Comparisons:
- GSRA (Wyden/Lee/Davidson/Lofgren): Introduced in March 2026, this is viewed as a comprehensive overhaul.
- Data Brokers: Bans federal agencies from purchasing Americans' data from data brokers without a warrant.
- Warrant Requirement: Requires a warrant for accessing content of U.S. persons in Section 702 databases.
- Backdoor Searches: Prohibits intelligence agencies from using non-statutory authorities for warrantless searches.
- AI/Modern Tech: Specifically targets AI-driven surveillance and data from car onboard systems.
- SAFE Act (Lee/Durbin): Reintroduced in March 2026, this act is branded as a "compromise" focusing on a warrant requirement.
- Targeting & Scope: Similar to the GSRA, it restricts "reverse targeting" (using foreign targeting as a pretext to get U.S. person data).
- Warrant Procedure: Rather than requiring a warrant for every query, it allows the FBI to query the database to find hits on U.S. persons, but then requires a warrant to access the content.
- Focus: It aims to balance FISA Section 702 reauthorization with essential civil liberties, acting as a moderate path.
Both bills aim to close the "backdoor search loophole," but the GSRA covers broader surveillance issues (data brokers, AI, non-FISA authority) while the SAFE Act focuses tightly on the mechanics of the Section 702 warrant process.
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Senator Wyden says:
The Federal Government – ICE, FBI, and more – is spying on you without a warrant.
This week, Congress will decide whether Kash Patel, Stephen Miller and Trump can keep spying on Americans. If that scares you (it should) this thread is for you.
There is a little-known law called Section 702 of FISA. The federal government has abused it over and over to try and spy on Americans, including protestors, elected officials – one NSA employee even spied on people he met through an online dating app.
That’s not all. Current law also lets the Feds buy all sorts of sensitive data on you from shady data brokers, with just a credit card. The Feds can feed that data into powerful AI systems to spy on you. Kash Patel recently confirmed to me he’s buying your location data.
These powers are terrifying. ICE shouldn’t be able to buy lists of protestors. Kash Patel shouldn’t be able to spy on women getting abortion medications. Stephen Miller shouldn’t be able to spy on critics, claiming connections to foreign “antifa” threats.”
I’ve been fighting these abuses for years. But few administrations have posed as big a threat as this one. Congress CANNOT rubber-stamp more unchecked spying powers for any President, let alone Trump.
Everyone should be able to agree: The government has no business buying up data on Americans with no checks and oversight. The government has no business using *foreign* surveillance powers to spy on Americans.
My bill, the Government Surveillance Reform Act, would close all of these loopholes and finally provide real privacy for Americans. Congress must pass the reforms in this bill and restore Americans’ rights against advances in AI and surveillance tech.
These issues cut across party lines. Trump and Stephen Miller need both Republicans AND Democrats to keep these powers. If all of this scares you, I encourage you to make your voice heard.
This week, Congress will decide whether Kash Patel, Stephen Miller and Trump can keep spying on Americans. If that scares you (it should) this thread is for you.
There is a little-known law called Section 702 of FISA. The federal government has abused it over and over to try and spy on Americans, including protestors, elected officials – one NSA employee even spied on people he met through an online dating app.
That’s not all. Current law also lets the Feds buy all sorts of sensitive data on you from shady data brokers, with just a credit card. The Feds can feed that data into powerful AI systems to spy on you. Kash Patel recently confirmed to me he’s buying your location data.
These powers are terrifying. ICE shouldn’t be able to buy lists of protestors. Kash Patel shouldn’t be able to spy on women getting abortion medications. Stephen Miller shouldn’t be able to spy on critics, claiming connections to foreign “antifa” threats.”
I’ve been fighting these abuses for years. But few administrations have posed as big a threat as this one. Congress CANNOT rubber-stamp more unchecked spying powers for any President, let alone Trump.
Everyone should be able to agree: The government has no business buying up data on Americans with no checks and oversight. The government has no business using *foreign* surveillance powers to spy on Americans.
My bill, the Government Surveillance Reform Act, would close all of these loopholes and finally provide real privacy for Americans. Congress must pass the reforms in this bill and restore Americans’ rights against advances in AI and surveillance tech.
These issues cut across party lines. Trump and Stephen Miller need both Republicans AND Democrats to keep these powers. If all of this scares you, I encourage you to make your voice heard.
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In April 2026, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) continues to oppose the warrantless surveillance powers granted under Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), which is set to expire on April 20, 2026, following the Reforming Intelligence and Securing America Act (RISAA). The ACLU advocates for significant reforms, including warrant requirements for accessing Americans' data and closing the "data broker loophole," to stop mass warrantless spying.
Key aspects of the 2026 debate, as highlighted by ACLU updates and advocacy efforts, include:
- Sunset Date: Following its reauthorization, Section 702 is scheduled to sunset on April 20, 2026, placing pressure on Congress to address constitutional concerns.
- "Backdoor Search" Loophole: The ACLU strongly opposes the FBI’s continued, non-warranted queries of U.S. citizens’ communications within Section 702 databases.
- Data Broker Loophole: Advocacy is focused on preventing federal agencies from bypassing the Fourth Amendment by purchasing user data from brokers.
- Legal Challenges: Recent court rulings have noted that warrantless searches under Section 702 violate the Fourth Amendment.
For more information, visit the ACLU's resource page on warrantless surveillance.
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