House Advances FISA Extension, Budget Plan for ICE and Border Patrol, and Farm Bill

The U.S. House of Representatives advanced bills on April 29 to extend a surveillance authority, a budget blueprint to fund Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol, and a Farm Bill. The procedural vote to advance the legislation passed 216–210, marking an important win for House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), who continues to navigate with a slim Republican majority. At the center of the debate is a nine-page proposal to renew Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) for three years. This provision allows intelligence agencies to conduct warrantless surveillance on foreign targets located abroad, though it can also result in the incidental collection of Americans’ communications. The bill does not include new warrant requirements, despite bipartisan calls for stricter safeguards....