A top FBI official is encouraging employees to continue to investigate Americans using a [warrantless foreign surveillance program](https://www.wired.com/story/section-702-reauthorization-expansion/) in an effort to justify the bureau’s spy powers, according to an internal email obtained by WIRED.
Obtained by WIRED, an April 20 email authored by FBI deputy director Paul Abbate to employees states: “To continue to demonstrate why tools like this are essential to our mission, we need to *use* them, while also holding ourselves accountable for doing so properly and in compliance with legal requirements.”
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By Dell Cameron and William Turton
A top FBI official is encouraging employees to continue to investigate Americans using a [warrantless foreign surveillance program](https://www.wired.com/story/section-702-reauthorization-expansion/) in an effort to justify the bureau’s spy powers, according to an internal email obtained by WIRED.
Known as Section 702, the program is controversial for having been [misused by the FBI](https://www.wired.com/story/house-intellligence-section-702-reform/) to target US protesters, journalists, and even a [sitting member of Congress](https://www.wired.com/story/darin-lahood-fbi-backdoor-search/). US lawmakers, nevertheless, voted to extend the program in April for an additional two years, while codifying a slew of procedures that the FBI claims is working to stop the abuse.
Obtained by WIRED, an April 20 email authored by FBI deputy director Paul Abbate to employees states: “To continue to demonstrate why tools like this are essential to our mission, we need to *use* them, while also holding ourselves accountable for doing so properly and in compliance with legal requirements.”
Read the full story: [https://www.wired.com/story/fbi-section-702-us-person-queries-email/](https://www.wired.com/story/fbi-section-702-us-person-queries-email/)
Oh good. I was beginning to worry we were free. It’s such a burden. Why bother anymore?
“We need to abuse American citizens to justify abuse of American citizens” – FBI