Full Version: It's not about Immigration
From: UCONN Dave & Lynn too (DANDL48) [#34]
4 May 2006
To: RALLYGUY (RALLYGUY1) [#33] 4 May 2006
The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 allows wiretapping of aliens and citizens in the US based on a finding of probable cause to believe that the target is a member of a foreign terrorist group or an agent of a foreign power. For US citizens and permanent resident aliens, there must also be probable cause to believe that the person is engaged in activities that "may" involve a criminal violation. Suspicion of illegal activity is not required in the case of aliens who are not permanent residents � for them, membership in a terrorist group is enough, even if their activities on behalf of the group are legal.
It appears that 2000 was the last time figures were published. I find the last sentence interesting.
Nor does the figure of 1,190 approved wiretaps surveillances for 2000 cover the separate set of authorizations issued by a select group of federal judges, operating under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), who yearly issue nearly 1,000 interception and physical search orders in foreign counterintelligence and international terrorism cases (1,012 in 2000) (It is hard to tell, given the classified nature of the court's proceedings, how many wiretaps these orders entail. Some of the orders are good for one year, while some require reauthorization every ninety days, so some targets are the subject of four orders in a year. On the other hand, one order may authorize multiple taps. Plus, starting in 1996, the figures for the FISA court included physical searches ("black bag jobs") which are probably relatively few in number.) In its entire existence, since 1978, the FISA court has only twice (once in 1980 and once in 1997) refused a government request for electronic surveillance authority.
EDITED: 4 May 2006 by HARVEY-ONLY
From: RALLYGUY (RALLYGUY1) [#35]
4 May 2006
To: UCONN Dave & Lynn too (DANDL48) [#34] 4 May 2006
Well I think we are both more educated now.......
I "think"....
Honestly, I give you credit for even trying to find proof ;)
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