FISA court
The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, which was allegedly misled by the FBI to grant warrants for illegally surveilling American citizens associated with the Trump campaign.
First Mentioned
9/16/2025, 6:29:56 AM
Last Updated
9/16/2025, 6:32:03 AM
Research Retrieved
9/16/2025, 6:32:03 AM
Summary
The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC), commonly known as the FISA court, is a special U.S. federal court established by Congress in 1978 under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). Its primary function is to review and approve applications from the U.S. government, primarily the Department of Justice and FBI, for electronic surveillance, physical searches, and other investigative actions for foreign intelligence purposes. Proceedings before the FISC are nonpublic and ex parte, meaning only the government is present. The court requires probable cause for warrants, with heightened requirements for U.S. persons, and plays a crucial role in ensuring intelligence collection conforms to statutory and constitutional requirements. However, the FISA court became a central point of controversy during the alleged "Russiagate Hoax," with claims from figures like Tulsi Gabbard that it was used to obtain "illegal warrants" for the FBI's Crossfire Hurricane investigation, based on unreliable sources like the Steele Dossier, as part of a politicized intelligence campaign by the Obama Administration to undermine Donald Trump's presidency. Despite these allegations, the court continues its oversight, with recent opinions noting FBI reforms and improved compliance with Section 702 queries.
Referenced in 1 Document
Research Data
Extracted Attributes
Type
Special Federal Court
Acronym
FISC
Purpose
To consider issuing search warrants for foreign intelligence purposes, approve electronic surveillance, physical search, and other investigative actions.
Location
United States
Full Name
United States Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court
Established
1978
Proceedings
Nonpublic, ex parte (government only party present)
Jurisdiction
U.S. Government applications for foreign intelligence
Governing Act
Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) of 1978
Oversight Role
Judicial and Congressional oversight of foreign intelligence surveillance activities
Standard for Warrants
Probable cause (heightened requirements for U.S. persons)
Timeline
- The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC) was established by Congress through the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). (Source: web_search_results)
1978-10-25
- The Business Records FISA, Section 215, was first approved by the FISC, compelling U.S. telecommunications providers to provide metadata to the NSA. (Source: web_search_results)
2006-XX-XX
- Following the 2016 US Presidential Election, the FISA court was allegedly used to obtain 'illegal warrants' for the FBI's Crossfire Hurricane investigation, based on unreliable sources like the Steele Dossier, as part of a 'Russiagate Hoax' orchestrated by the Obama Administration (allegation by Tulsi Gabbard). (Source: related_documents)
2016-XX-XX
- The FBI began implementing remedial measures to improve its Section 702 query compliance, which continued into 2022. (Source: web_search_results)
2021-XX-XX
- The FISC issued an opinion highlighting the effectiveness of the FBI's remedial measures and the court's ongoing oversight responsibilities regarding Section 702 compliance. (Source: web_search_results)
2023-04-XX
Web Search Results
- Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) and Section 702 - FBI
FISA also established the United States Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC), a special federal court to consider issuing search warrants under FISA.To investigate a particular foreign target in the U.S., for example,an FBI special agent must first submit an application to the FISA Court establishing probable cause. [...] Full press release and background information April 2023 Opinion of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC) (intel.gov) Redacted Section 702 Director Wray Senate Letter (fbi.gov) Background Information The Intelligence Community (IC) today released, in redacted form, the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court’s (FISC) April 2023 Opinion, which post-dated FBI FISA reforms. [...] The Intelligence Community today released, in redacted form, the April 2023 Opinion of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC), which highlights that the remedial measures the FBI began implementing in 2021 and 2022 are working to improve the FBI’s Section 702 query compliance. The 2023 Opinion also demonstrates the effectiveness of the FISC’s oversight responsibilities, as well as the FBI’s commitment to full compliance.
- Signals Intelligence - FISA - National Security Agency
FISA Court plays an important role in helping to ensure that signals intelligence collection governed by FISA is conducted in conformity with the requirements of the statute. All three branches of the U.S. Government have responsibilities for programs conducted under FISA, and a key role of the FISA Court is to ensure that activities conducted pursuant to FISA authorizations are consistent with the statute, as well as the U.S. Constitution, including the Fourth Amendment. [...] Image 10: Expand List item 232Image 11: Collapse List item 232FISA Sections 704 and 705(b) permits the Attorney General to approve similar collection against a U.S. person who is already the subject of a FISA court order obtained pursuant to Section 105 or 304 of FISA. The probable cause standard has, in these cases, already been met through the FISA court order process. [...] Image 8: Expand List item 232Image 9: Collapse List item 232Business Records FISA, Section 215, first approved by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC) in 2006 and subsequently reauthorized during two different Administrations, four different Congresses, and by 14 federal judges, specified U.S. telecommunications providers are compelled by court order to provide NSA with information about telephone calls to, from, or within the U.S. The information is known as metadata, and
- The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (FISA)
FISA also established the United States Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC), a special U.S. Federal court that holds nonpublic sessions to consider issuing search warrants under FISA. Proceedings before the FISC are _ex parte_, meaning the government is the only party present. ### General Provisions [...] Electronic Surveillance Procedures– Subchapter I of FISA established procedures for the conduct of foreign intelligence surveillance and created the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC). The Department of Justice must apply to the FISC to obtain a warrant authorizing electronic surveillance of foreign agents. For targets that are U.S. persons (U.S. citizens, permanent resident aliens, and U.S. corporations), FISA requires heightened requirements in some instances. [...] Like Title III of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (the "Wiretap Act"), the FISA legislation was the result of congressional investigations into Federal surveillance activities conducted in the name of national security. Through FISA, Congress sought to provide judicial and congressional oversight of foreign intelligence surveillance activities while maintaining the secrecy necessary to effectively monitor national security threats. FISA was initially enacted in 1978 and
- Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court | United States
The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court was established by Congress in 1978. The Court entertains applications made by the United States Government for approval of electronic surveillance, physical search, and certain other forms of investigative actions for foreign intelligence purposes. []( 2: Subscribe to Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court RSS Recent Public Filings [...] Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court | United States Skip to main content Image 1: Home United States Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court Search form Search this site Text Size: Decrease font size Reset font size Increase font size Home About the Court Rules of Procedure Public Filings Judges Correspondence Court of Review Amici Curiae Public Filings » [...] Case/Docket: 16-1182, 17-375, 17-52, 17-679 Date Posted: Monday, July 7, 2025 Misc. 19-02 Letter of April 3, 2025 Case/Docket: Misc. 19-02 Date Posted: Monday, April 21, 2025 View all public filings Annual Reports Home | About the Court | Rules of Procedure | Public Filings | Judges
- [PDF] Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA): An Overview - FLETC
it a useful tool in exposing and combating foreign terrorist groups’ efforts to target the United States. In recognition that such acts cannot be neatly or easily separated into intelligence versus criminal cases, the FISA Court of Review has clarified the threshold that must be met in order for FISA to be used. The Court eliminated the “primary purpose” doctrine, under which no FISA-related operational undertaking could occur unless it was primarily intended to obtain foreign intelligence. [...] steadfastly claimed an inherent constitutional authority to conduct warrantless electronic surveillances for non-criminal, national security purposes. This authority was grounded in the mandate found in Article II of the Constitution for the Executive to “preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.” This position was accorded great judicial and congressional deference for many years, but that began to change in the early 1970’s. In 1972, the Supreme Court decided the [...] identified foreign powers and agents of foreign powers as the entities and persons that could be targeted for electronic surveillance. Third, it articulated a probable cause standard that had to be met before an electronic surveillance was permissible. Fourth, the Act established the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Courts (FISC), one at the district court level for initial review of surveillance applications, and one at the appellate level should the government appeal a district level denial