A federal judge has ordered the FBI to provide documents related to its warrantless surveillance program.
U.S. District Court Judge Richard Leon said Tuesday that the bureau must produce documents that reveal the extent of the program, as well as details about how it operates and how it uses information obtained through the program.
Leon also ordered the bureau to produce records detailing the extent to which the FBI has relied on information from surveillance software used by law enforcement agencies.
The program is authorized under a 2008 law signed by President George W. Bush.
The FBI has said the program is not a violation of the First Amendment and that its surveillance is legal.
Leon said the documents would help inform the public about the program and its constitutionality.
Leon’s order was first reported by The Washington Post.
Leon ordered the documents to be made public Tuesday.
He has not set a time for the documents’ release.
Leon, a Bush appointee, said he could not decide on a specific date for the release.
He ordered the government to produce the documents by February.
Leon issued his order after the bureau said it had failed to turn over requested documents.
The court said Leon did not know the extent or nature of the FBI program.
He noted that the FBI was asked to provide the records in a sealed filing in February 2016.
Leon has ordered that the documents be turned over to the government within 45 days.
The order said the bureau has asked the court to order the government not to provide any documents relating to the program to the public until the documents are turned over.
Leon did say that if the government is able to produce documents on the program within the next 90 days, the court could order that information be made available to the court.