Warrantless Surveillance Law Up for Reauthorization

The Amendments to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 2008 are up for reauthorization by the end of the year, and Senator Wyden has said these Amendments have led to the violation of U.S. citizens Constitutional rights on at least one occasion. The Washington Post reports that some of Wyden's comments have been declassified, and that there is pressure to reauthorize the amendments that allow surveillance of foreign actors without a warrant. Law enforcement agents still need to go through the FISA court, which is where the alleged constitutional violation took place.

The amendments were put in place retroactively to justify the President Bush warrantless surveillance program after 9/11.