Overview

• The FBI's Office of Internal Auditing, established in 2020 to ensure compliance with FISA Section 702, has been dismantled by Director Kash Patel.
• The office was created in response to a 2019 Inspector General report highlighting misuse of FISA surveillance powers, including concerns about targeting U.S. citizens.
• Responsibilities of the closed office have been absorbed into the FBI’s inspection division, and its leader, Cindy Hall, has retired.
• Critics argue that closing the office weakens oversight of warrantless surveillance and raises privacy concerns, particularly regarding incidental collection of Americans' communications.
• The decision comes as Congress prepares to debate the reauthorization of Section 702 in 2026, with privacy advocates pushing for significant reforms or repeal.