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schoen 8 hours ago

Note that border searches of electronic devices are extremely rare overall. There were some statistics from CBP implying a base rate lower than 1 in 10,000 (I think lower than 1 in 100,000) border crossings.

I do know two people who have experienced them as a result of the government taking a personal interest in them, so it's certainly not impossible. However, it's not a common experience.

I've personally experienced searches of my suitcases about four times in about 100 U.S. border crossings (as a U.S. citizen, but the people performing or directing those searches generally didn't know my citizenship status), and zero electronic device searches.

epolanski 6 hours ago | parent | next [-]

I'm European and I know plenty, albeit the minority of those I know that went to the US, so I wonder how reliable are CBP stats.

Maybe my anecdotal experience is influenced by me being in IT, but still.

shevy-java 6 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

But why would that be legal? The device is owned by the individual. No judge signed any warrant search for the device. I can do what I want with my device - that is a basic right of property. Imagine if border guards seize money willy-nilly.

budsniffer952 5 hours ago | parent | next [-]

You are allowed to refuse access to your device, and they are allowed to refuse entry to the country.

inigyou 4 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

Most constitutional rights are suspended within 100 miles of a border or international airport.

morgan814 a minute ago | parent [-]

Which leaves me wondering - should domestic travel be treated the same as international when it comes to securing your devices?

jakzurr 3 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

> Imagine if border guards seize money willy-nilly.

This jogged my memory, though I couldn't find the example I was thinking of. But here's an item that is pretty similar:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tenaha,_Texas_asset_forfeiture...

Edit: Not on the border, btw. Just people travelling inside US. I guess it was their mistake to carry cash instead of getting a bank check or something.

gradschool 4 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

> Imagine if border guards seize money willy-nilly.

no need to imagine

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civil_forfeiture_in_the_United...