FISA applied to US persons not just citizens. US person included not only citizens but those here legally with permanent US visas. Others here in the US are not covered by the act. Of course FISA was passed in response to the Church Committee so it's going to be really hard on any kind of intelligence work. I'm going to make a trek in the next few days to the local Federal Depository Library to see what I can find in the Congressional Record.
Yeah - I'm just using shorthand. FISA covers a range of entites from foreign enemy to loyal born-citizen, with a few stops in between.
FISA was passed in response to the Church Committee so it's going to be really hard on any kind of intelligence work.
That pesky Constitution, especially the 4th amendment, is an impediment, no doubt. ;-)
Some links here -> http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1550340/posts?page=51#51 for inquiry into the history of FISA and some of the concerns relating to warrantless surveillance.