{"id":363726,"date":"2025-08-22T04:23:20","date_gmt":"2025-08-22T04:23:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/363726\/"},"modified":"2025-08-22T04:23:20","modified_gmt":"2025-08-22T04:23:20","slug":"more-phones-being-searched-at-the-u-s-border-than-ever-before-data-shows-national","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/363726\/","title":{"rendered":"More phones being searched at the U.S. border than ever before, data shows – National"},"content":{"rendered":"

U.S. border agents are searching travellers\u2019 smartphones and other electronic devices at a record rate, new data suggests amid a broader immigration<\/a> crackdown by the Trump administration.<\/p>\n

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The latest figures<\/a> released by U.S. Customs and Border Protection<\/a> (CBP) show there were 14,899 devices searched between April and June this year. That\u2019s a 21-per cent jump from the previous quarter, and nearly 17 per cent higher than the previous highest quarterly number of 12,766 devices searched between January and March 2022.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s disheartening,\u201d James Hayes, a Vancouver-based immigration lawyer, told Global News in an interview upon learning of the uptick.<\/p>\n

U.S. officials have broad legal authority to search electronic devices of people entering the country<\/a>, regardless of citizenship, and CBP historical data shows those searches have been steadily rising over the past decade. The data does not break down those searches by type of electronic device, a term that includes smartphones, laptops, tablets and cameras.<\/p>\n

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CBP says less than 0.01 per cent of all travellers entering the U.S. are subjected to an electronic device search, and even fewer of those are seized for further inspection. In the last fiscal year, just over 47,000 devices were searched out of more than 420 million travellers processed at U.S. borders, according to CBP data.<\/p>\n

Since U.S. President Donald Trump returned to office this year, however, there has been an increased focus on vetting the digital backgrounds of people entering the country.<\/p>\n

The U.S. State Department said in June<\/a> it would require all international student visa applicants to allow their social media to be reviewed for content deemed hostile to U.S. interests, and could reject anyone who doesn\u2019t make their accounts public.<\/p>\n

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Earlier this year, the Canadian government updated its travel advice for people entering the U.S.<\/a>, warning travellers to \u201cexpect scrutiny at ports of entry, including of electronic devices.\u201d<\/p>\n

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A spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security denied the uptick in searches has anything to do with any directions from the Trump administration.<\/p>\n

\u201cClaims that CBP is searching more electronic media due to the administration change are false,\u201d the spokesperson said in an email to Global News. \u201cAllegations that political beliefs trigger inspections or removals are baseless and irresponsible.<\/p>\n

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\u201cUnder the leadership of the Trump administration and Secretary (Kristi) Noem, we have the most secure border in American history. This has allowed CBP to focus to actually vet and interview the people attempting to come into our country. Lawful travellers have nothing to fear from these measures, which are designed to protect our nation\u2019s security.\u201d<\/p>\n

In July, CBP put out a request for information<\/a> for new data analytics systems to help the agency with \u201cprocessing forensically acquired electronic data\u201d seized from travellers for investigative purposes, \u201cincluding but not limited to text, contacts, video and image data.\u201d<\/p>\n

The RFI noted the CBP expects its digital forensics efforts to \u201cexpand and be modernized\u201d in the coming years.<\/p>\n

The most recent guidance to CBP agents<\/a> on electronic device searches was issued in 2018, during the first Trump administration.<\/p>\n

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The guidance says border agents cannot use the device to access information stored remotely, such as on \u201cthe cloud,\u201d and will ask travellers to turn off their device\u2019s connectivity or do so themselves to avoid accessing that data.<\/p>\n

However, agents can search people\u2019s email, text and WhatsApp messages, and any other content that\u2019s accessible on a device.<\/p>\n

Travellers are \u201cobligated\u201d to present their electronic devices and the information stored on it \u201cin a condition that allows for the examination of the device and its contents,\u201d the CBP says, including providing necessary passwords.<\/p>\n

The office of Canada\u2019s privacy commissioner says<\/a>\u00a0U.S. border officials \u201chave broad inspection powers which can include seeking passwords to your laptop, tablet or mobile phone.\u201d<\/p>\n

Such searches do not require evidence of wrongdoing, it warns.<\/p>\n

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