Trump administration sued over phone searches at U.S. borders
Source: Reuters
September 13, 2017 / 10:04 AM / Updated 10 hours ago
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Trump administration has engaged in an unconstitutional practice of searching without a warrant the phones and laptops of Americans who are stopped at the border, a lawsuit filed on Wednesday alleged.
Ten U.S. citizens and one lawful permanent resident sued the Department of Homeland Security in federal court, saying the searches and prolonged confiscation of their electronic devices violate privacy and free speech protections of the U.S. Constitution.
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The lawsuit comes as the number of searches of electronic devices has surged in recent years, alarming civil rights advocates.
U.S. Customs and Border Patrol reported in April that searches increased from 8,500 in fiscal year 2015 to about 19,000 in fiscal year 2016. The agency has conducted nearly 15,000 in the first half of fiscal year 2017. ......................................
Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-immigration-border-searches/trump-administration-sued-over-phone-searches-at-u-s-borders-idUSKCN1BO1XG?utm_campaign=trueAnthem:+Trending+Content&utm_content=59b9c1d204d3017acf6552f7&utm_medium=trueAnthem&utm_source=twitter
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FBaggins
(26,748 posts)The Supreme Court has ruled at least a couple times the security concerns trump the 4th Amendment at border crossings. I think the last time it was a unanimous court that said "justified by the Government's paramount interest in protecting the border"
I suppose they could argue that smart phones (that didn't really exist when that case was decided) hold so much (and so much more personal) information that the issue should be reconsidered.
PoliticAverse
(26,366 posts)which was a unanimous decision requiring a warrant for a cell phone search after an arrest causing
the courts to place more restrictions on boarder cell phone searches than previous court decisions
on border security implied.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riley_v._California
dembotoz
(16,808 posts)For international travel. I found it amusing because the phone I have is considered a burner, and I like it.
My best friend traveled to Russia a year ago and had some minor problem in Russia cause the border guys had trouble believing an American would not have a smartphone with her. She left it home because it was a company phone with all kinds of corporate goo on it and she didn't want the risk of losing it in Russia.