FISA
Definition
FISA (Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act) is a United States federal law enacted in 1978 that establishes procedures for the physical and electronic surveillance and collection of foreign intelligence information within the country.
FISA also refers to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC), a specialized U.S. federal court that oversees requests for surveillance warrants under the Act.
Examples
Congress is heroically scrambling to extend FISA Section 702 before its April 20, 2026 expiration, proving once again that national security trumps sleep for our dedicated lawmakers.
The FISA Court renewed surveillance powers despite finding ongoing FBI violations on Americans' data – a shining example of oversight that's forgivingly flexible.
With FISA's backdoor searches occasionally peeking at domestic communications, the intelligence community demonstrates enviable multitasking in threat detection.
As privacy advocates decry FISA renewals amid 2026 scandals, it's refreshing how the program prioritizes foreign intel with such admirably broad net-casting.