1. United States
2. Mich.
3. Letter

Vote against any clean extension of FISA Section 702. The backdoor search loophole has turned foreign surveillance authority into a domestic spying tool, and this administration will abuse it. The FBI conducted over 57,000 backdoor searches of Americans' communications in 2023 alone, searching through emails, phone calls, and text messages without a warrant. Section 702 was designed to target foreigners abroad, but the government now uses it as an end-run around the Fourth Amendment to spy on Americans. When the government wants to directly eavesdrop on Americans, it needs a warrant for criminal investigations or a FISA Title I order for foreign intelligence work. Backdoor searches let them bypass that requirement entirely. Stephen Miller and Donald Trump have made clear their intent to use every surveillance tool available for mass deportations and targeting political opponents. Handing them warrantless access to Americans' private communications is reckless. Any reauthorization must require a warrant or FISA Title I order before searching Section 702 data for U.S. persons. Congress had the chance to close this loophole in April 2024 and failed. Don't make that mistake again. Protect the Fourth Amendment. https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/congress-must-close-backdoor-search-loophole-requiring-warrantfisa-0