The administration’s desire to spy on any foreigner it decides is a threat (at least they still require a warrant) may make people feel comfortable, but will have repercussions far beyond the obvious ramifications. (If you have any foreign friends, don’t call them on the phone and ask them to come to your place for some Bud unless it comes from Anheuser Busch.)
The Bush administration asked Congress Friday to allow monitoring of more foreigners in the United States during intelligence investigations. The plan is one of several proposed changes, which have been in the works for more than a year, that go to the heart of a key U.S. surveillance law.
The administration wants to be able to monitor foreign nationals on American soil if they are thought to have significant intelligence information, but no known links to a foreign power. Under current law, the government must convince a FISA judge that an individual is an agent of a government, terror group or some other foreign adversary.
One interesting aspect of the proposal:
Give telecommunications companies immunity from civil liability for their cooperation with any intelligence communications program, such as Bush’s terrorist surveillance program. Pending lawsuits against companies including Verizon and AT&T allege they violated privacy laws by giving phone records to the NSA for the program.
Do you think we should trust this administration with increased surveillance powers?
