The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC) is a U.S. federal court established in 1978 by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). The court is responsible for reviewing and approving applications for electronic surveillance and physical searches for intelligence purposes inside the United States by federal law enforcement and intelligence agencies.The main function of the FISC is to determine whether to grant applications submitted by the government to conduct surveillance on individuals or groups suspected of being foreign agents involved in espionage or terrorism. The court operates in secret and its proceedings are classified. It is composed of eleven federal district court judges who are appointed by the Chief Justice of the United States.The FISC plays a significant role in overseeing and regulating the government's surveillance activities, particularly those that involve U.S. citizens or residents. It ensures that there is a legal basis and sufficient evidence to justify the surveillance and protects against potential abuses of power.However, the FISC has also faced criticism for the lack of transparency and accountability in its proceedings. Critics argue that the court's closed-door nature makes it difficult to ensure proper oversight and prevent potential abuses of surveillance powers. The court has also been accused of having a bias towards granting government surveillance requests, with very few applications being denied.In recent years, there have been calls for reform of the FISC to enhance transparency and accountability, and to better balance the need for national security with individual privacy rights. Proposed changes include increasing the involvement of independent judges and establishing a more adversarial process to challenge government surveillance requests.Overall, the FISC plays a critical role in authorizing intelligence surveillance within the United States, but there are ongoing debates about the extent of its powers and the need for reform to strike the right balance between security and privacy.