US' mass surveillance sans warrant slammed

Experts term it dangerous, urge Congress not to allow extension of draconian 'law'

The US government is conducting mass, warrantless surveillance of Asian Americans, especially Chinese American scientists, under a controversial intelligence authority that experts say is "blatantly unconstitutional" and "dangerous".

Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, or FISA, was enacted after 9/11 to make it easier for the government to collect the communications of suspected foreign terrorists. The law allows the government to target almost any foreigner abroad and to collect all their communications without a court order.

The law will expire on Dec 31. The Joe Biden administration has been lobbying Congress for months to renew Section 702 without any changes, saying it is a critical tool for counterterrorism operations, cybersecurity and understanding rivals such as China.