Section 702 of FISA expired on Friday after Congress failed to extend it due to a dispute over President Trump's acting intelligence pick. The program, which allows warrantless surveillance of foreign communications, is considered vital for national security.
A court order keeps it active for now, but future challenges are possible. - The program expired after Democrats blocked an extension over Bill Pulte's appointment as acting DNI.
- Trump nominated Jay Clayton as permanent DNI, but it was too late to prevent the lapse. - A March court order authorizes the program to continue for another year, preventing immediate disruption.
- Civil liberties advocates have raised concerns about improper queries of Americans' communications. The expiration is the first meaningful lapse since 2008, but officials expect no immediate impact on intelligence collection.