House approves short-term extension of surveillance law in blow to Republicans’ long-term plan – US politics live | US Congress
Parliament votes to extend Fisa surveillance law by 10 days
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of US politics.
The House of Representatives voted early Friday to briefly extend an expired and controversial law that gives the U.S. government broad powers over warrantless surveillance.
Extension decision Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) By April 30, unanimous approval was achieved shortly after 208 Democrats and 20 Republicans met. defeat five-year and 18-month renewal attempts.
Article 702 of Fisa, which first came into force in 2008, allows national security agencies to collect and review texts and emails sent to and from foreigners living outside the country without a warrant. This would also include any communications between Americans living with non-American targets.
The law was originally set to expire Monday because it included a provision stating that the law would expire without periodic reauthorization.
Donald Trump He was pushing for an 18-month extension, publishing in Truth Social that the law was “an effective tool to keep Americans safe” and “extremely important to our military,” especially during the war in Iran; a dramatic change from his call two years ago: “KILL FISA” after accusing the FBI of abusing the law to spy on the 2016 campaign.
If the CIA credit Critics warn that Section 702, which helped rescue hostages overseas and prevent a terrorist attack at a Taylor Swift concert in Vienna, allows the U.S. government to spy on Americans without a warrant. California congressman Ro Khanna before the vote Published on X “It gives Donald Trump the power to spy on Americans through the back door or collect data.”
“A yes vote gives Trump more power to spy on Americans,” Khanna said. “Every Democrat should vote no. Everyone who loves the Constitution should vote no.”
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Donald Trump announced 10-day ceasefire in Lebanon This will be followed by a meeting between Israeli and Lebanese leaders next week.
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Progressive Democrat Analilia Mejia He won a New Jersey special election for the U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday. Mejia, who is supported by Elizabeth Warren and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, is much more critical of Israel and was the only candidate in the Democratic primary to call Israel’s actions during the war in Gaza genocide.
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Todd Lyonsdeputy director U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)He is resigning after a tumultuous year carrying out Donald Trump’s immigration agenda.
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Donald Trump nominated Erica SchwartzDuring his first administration, the former deputy surgeon general will lead the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
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Schwartz was under pressure from the health minister’s critics. Robert F. Kennedy Jr.to counter his anti-vaccine ideology. In a heated oversight hearing, House Democrats grilled Kennedy about the vaccine rollback.
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Speaking in Las Vegas, Trump told his supporters, “The war in Iran is going smoothly, we can do whatever we want.” So he did not explain why the US military could not prevent Iran from closing the Strait of Hormuz.
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US Department of Justice launched an investigation Eric Swalwell following his resignation from Congress, according to a source familiar with the matter.
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Illinois police responded to a bomb threat at the home of John Prevost, Pope Leo’s brother, on Wednesday evening. NBC Chicago reported.
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US House passes bill protecting 350,000 Haitians from deportation
In other House news, the House voted yesterday to advance a bill to continue temporary protected status for Haitian immigrants, which allows them to live and work in the United States without fear of deportation.
As The Guardian’s Chris Stein wrote, the vote was a rare bipartisan rebuke of Donald Trump’s mass deportation agenda, with 11 members of the House Republican conference joining with Democrats to pass the bill 224 to 204.
More here:
Democrats say FISA law risks giving Trump administration more authority to “surveillance on the American people”
Here are some Congressional Democrats they say about Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA)The parliament voted early Friday to extend it for another 10 days:
Hakeem JeffriesParliamentary minority leader, in the name Republicans’ attempt to extend the law for five years is “unacceptable”.
“The bill does not increase privacy protections,” Jeffries said. “There is a risk of expanding its capabilities.” Trump administration To spy on the American people.”
Congressman before voting Pramila Jayapal in question He responded with a “strong no”, explaining that a five-year extension had been put forward. mike johnsonThe Republican House majority leader has done “absolutely nothing” to fix loopholes in Section 702, which allows the government to collect any communications between Americans and non-Americans living abroad without a warrant.
“Don’t be fooled: This bill just continues to surveil and spy on the American people,” Jayapal said.
George WhitesidesA representative from Southern California, criticized For forcing the Republican majority to vote after midnight on such an important issue.
“We are being asked to cast our vote after midnight and the final vote is expected to be around 2 or 3 a.m.,” Whitesides said. he said. “This used to be unacceptable behavior for Republicans, but now it seems to be the main way they get to pass difficult bills. It’s no way to govern Congress or the nation.”
DHS says ICE acting director Todd Lyons will resign at the end of May
Sam Levin
Todd Lyonsdeputy director U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)He is resigning after a tumultuous year carrying out Donald Trump’s immigration agenda.
Lyons, who has been at the head of the agency since March 2025, will resign at the end of May and move to the private sector, Markwayne MullinSecretary of the Department of Homeland Security, in question he said in a statement on Thursday.
Mullin’s statement did not include details about who would replace Lyons, and DHS and the White House did not immediately respond to questions.
Lyons’ departure comes as ICE faces increasing backlash across the country for its violent and aggressive tactics, including a recent shooting during a traffic stop in California that Lyons defended.
Here are more details about the political lines forming around it: Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA):
Republicans appear divided on the issue, writes The Guardian’s Sanya Mansoor. Jim JordanThe chairman of the House judiciary committee voted against extending Article 702 in an article two years ago. Washington Post’s column Last April he said that “the government’s surveillance power can always be abused” as long as no search warrant is required – but from last month he, like Trump, said: called for a clean extension.
mike johnsonThe Republican House Speaker had previously delayed the reauthorization after: concerns raised by solid Republicans about warrantless surveillance. In all, 20 Republicans voted against extending the 18-month extension.
Some Democrats also appear to have conflicting views on the issue. Jamie RaskinTrump, a ranking member of the House judiciary committee who voted to renew the law in 2024, now opposes renewal without reform, writing in a letter to colleagues that he believes “safeguards put in place in 2024 have been badly eroded by the Trump Administration.”
“These reforms relied on internal monitors to keep intelligence agencies in line and on the Administration accurately reporting its own abuses to Congress and the courts,” he wrote.
Four Democrats crossed party lines to vote with the Republican majority to pass the renewal.
Parliament votes to extend Fisa surveillance law by 10 days
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of US politics.
The House of Representatives voted early Friday to briefly extend an expired and controversial law that gives the U.S. government broad powers over warrantless surveillance.
Extension decision Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) By April 30, unanimous approval was achieved shortly after 208 Democrats and 20 Republicans met. defeat five-year and 18-month renewal attempts.
Article 702 of Fisa, which first came into force in 2008, allows national security agencies to collect and review texts and emails sent to and from foreigners living outside the country without a warrant. This would also include any communications between Americans living with non-American targets.
The law was originally set to expire Monday because it included a provision stating that the law would expire without periodic reauthorization.
Donald Trump He was pushing for an 18-month extension, publishing in Truth Social that the law was “an effective tool to keep Americans safe” and “extremely important to our military,” especially during the war in Iran; a dramatic change from his call two years ago: “KILL FISA” after accusing the FBI of abusing the law to spy on the 2016 campaign.
If the CIA credit Critics warn that Section 702, which helped rescue hostages overseas and prevent a terrorist attack at a Taylor Swift concert in Vienna, allows the U.S. government to spy on Americans without a warrant. California congressman Ro Khanna before the vote Published on X “It gives Donald Trump the power to spy on Americans through the back door or collect data.”
“A yes vote gives Trump more power to spy on Americans,” Khanna said. “Every Democrat should vote no. Everyone who loves the Constitution should vote no.”
In other developments:
-
Donald Trump announced 10-day ceasefire in Lebanon This will be followed by a meeting between Israeli and Lebanese leaders next week.
-
Progressive Democrat Analilia Mejia He won a New Jersey special election for the U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday. Mejia, who is supported by Elizabeth Warren and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, is much more critical of Israel and was the only candidate in the Democratic primary to call Israel’s actions during the war in Gaza genocide.
-
Todd Lyonsdeputy director U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)He is resigning after a tumultuous year carrying out Donald Trump’s immigration agenda.
-
Donald Trump nominated Erica SchwartzDuring his first administration, the former deputy surgeon general will lead the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
-
Schwartz was under pressure from the health minister’s critics. Robert F. Kennedy Jr.to counter his anti-vaccine ideology. In a heated oversight hearing, House Democrats grilled Kennedy about the vaccine rollback.
-
Speaking in Las Vegas, Trump told his supporters, “The war in Iran is going smoothly, we can do whatever we want.” So he did not explain why the US military could not prevent Iran from closing the Strait of Hormuz.
-
US Department of Justice launched an investigation Eric Swalwell following his resignation from Congress, according to a source familiar with the matter.
-
Illinois police responded to a bomb threat at the home of John Prevost, Pope Leo’s brother, on Wednesday evening. NBC Chicago reported.
