Hi,

Last Sunday, just before the Super Bowl, Politico reported that for only the fifth time since 1830, Congress plans to hold a secret session to debate extending extremely controversial spying powers.1

The House, under GOP Speaker Mike Johnson, plans to hold the secret session ahead of an imminent vote on expanding Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), a dangerous power that government agencies use to collect, use, and share our personal data, including online communications, all without a warrant.2

Section 702 has been abused in ways that violate Americans’ fundamental civil liberties and civil rights. FBI agents have abused 702 to search through billions of warrantlessly acquired communications for conversations with Americans, including thousands of protestors, racial justice activists, journalists, donors to a Congressional campaign, and countless others.3

It’s urgent that we contact Congress NOW and tell them to reject the extension of Section 702.

Sign the petition: No more warrantless spying on Americans!

Warrantless government surveillance of Americans under Section 702 is out of control, and particularly targets communities of color. The large number of documented abuses by agencies like the NSA, CIA, and FBI include searches for: 141 Black Lives Matter activists, two men “of Middle Eastern descent” who were handling cleaning supplies, mosques that were intentionally mislabeled to prevent oversight, and a state court judge who reported civil rights violations to the FBI.4

Even though the Fourth Amendment protects our right to keep our information private, the government is collecting troves of our data without a warrant.

The vote on 702 is imminent – join us and take action now.

Add your name: Congress must reject the extension of dangerous, unlawful spying under Section 702

Thanks for taking action,

Joey and the team at Demand Progress

Sources:

  1. Elizabeth Goitein via X, "Reporting from @politico suggests House intelligence committee leaders want at least part of the floor debate on Section 702 to happen IN SECRET...," February 2, 2024.
  2. Politico, “Johnson considers new vote on spy powers for next week,” February 7, 2024.
  3. LA Times, “Opinion: Before the feds surveil Americans for Gaza protests, rein in warrantless spying,” February 8, 2024.
  4. Brennan Center, “FISA Section 702: Civil Rights Abuses,” November, 2023.

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