FISA Amendments Act adds Section 702 warrantless collection authority

Congress passed the FISA Amendments Act of 2008 on July 10, adding Section 702 — which authorizes collection of communications from non-U.S. persons abroad without individual warrants by compelling domestic internet and phone companies to comply. The law retroactively immunized telecom companies that had cooperated with the NSA's warrantless surveillance program revealed in 2005. Civil liberties groups sued immediately, arguing Section 702 enabled mass collection of Americans' communications.