A senior FBI official’s letter disclosed that FBI searches of Section 702 data on Americans increased by roughly 35% in 2025, rising to 7,413 from 5,518 the previous year. The spike, alongside falling hit rates and White House support for an 18‑month extension, has intensified debate over warrantless “U.S. person” queries and drawn renewed pushback from civil‑liberties groups. #Section702 #FBI
Keypoints
- The FBI’s Section 702 “U.S. person” queries rose about 35% to 7,413 between December 2024 and November 2025.
- Section 702 lets the NSA collect foreign communications but also results in Americans’ data being intercepted and searchable.
- The surveillance authority is set to expire on April 20, and the White House is seeking an 18‑month “clean” extension.
- The share of queries returning 702-acquired content fell from 38% in 2024 to 28% in 2025 despite prior large declines in total query volume since 2021.
- Civil‑liberties groups and some lawmakers warned that the increase and support from figures like Stephen Miller raise fresh concerns about warrantless searches.
Read More: https://therecord.media/new-data-shows-increase-fbi-searches-on-americans