Device Searches at U.S. Borders Hit Record High, Recent Data Shows

Recent government data shows that U.S. border agents have conducted an unprecedented number of electronic device searches over a three-month period.

Statistics reveal that U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the agency overseeing immigration checks at the border, examined 14,899 devices belonging to international travelers from April to June, reflecting a 17% rise from the previous record set in early 2022.

Most of these searches are classified as “basic,” where U.S. border agents request the device password and inspect its contents without the use of additional tools.

While U.S. citizens cannot be refused entry, their devices may be retained indefinitely if they decline to permit a search. Visitors, on the other hand, can refuse but would encounter denial of entry into the country.

The legality surrounding border searches remains a contentious subject with differing judicial interpretations across the nation, yet the U.S. Supreme Court has yet to address it.

(via Wired)