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Intelligence and PrivacyPublished Decisions of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance CourtsThe secret Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court and Court of Review were established in 1978 to review applications by federal intelligence officials for permission to conduct electronic or physical searches for the purpose of gathering foreign intelligence in the United States. Because the purpose of these search warrants was to be exclusively for foreign intelligence gathering, the government is not required to demonstrate probable cause to believe a crime may be committed before obtaining a search warrant from the secret courts. The role of the so-called "FISA" courts was expanded following the 2001 passage of the USA PATRIOT Act to make it easier for the government to conduct intelligence-related searches without showing probable cause. The secret FISA courts have issued only a handful of published decisions in their 25-year history. Copies of those decisions appear below. |
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PublicationsHuman Rights First has written a series of reports on the erosion of civil liberties in the U.S. since 9/11. The three reports, and the dates they cover, are:Assessing the New Normal Imbalance of Powers A Year of Loss Latest NewsPosner speech: National Security After September 11 -- A Rights Perspective (2/7/04) U.S.: Pentagon Denies Rights Groups Access to Guantanamo Trials (02/24/04) |
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