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Returning from vacation? The government can search your phone without a warrant

411 points · 378 comments · rbanffy

  1. Tangurena2 · · focus · HN ↗
    > “In [Fiscal Year] 2025, out of the over 419 million travelers CBP processed at ports of entry, CBP only searched the electronic devices of 55,318 international travelers,” the agency wrote, or 0.0013%.

    The harassment is targeted at critics & opponents of the current regime. The message is very clear: Be afraid of us. Be very afraid

    There are 33 days remaining until election day. Vote out all the incumbents.

    1. petcat · · focus · HN ↗
      I will be curious to see statistics from past years. I'm wondering if this is a new thing. I'm pretty sure US customs and border patrol have always had this power. I think basically every country exercises this power
      1. SmirkingRevenge · · focus · HN ↗
        GPT compiled stats, treat with caution:

          Fiscal Year | Device Searches | Travelers at POEs  | Rate       | Equivalent
  ------------|-----------------|--------------------|------------|------------
  2012        | 5,085           | 351.6M             | 0.00145%   | 1 in 69,200
  2013        | 5,709           | 362.3M             | 0.00158%   | 1 in 63,500
  2014        | 6,029           | 375.0M             | 0.00161%   | 1 in 62,200
  2015        | 8,503           | 383.2M             | 0.00222%   | 1 in 45,100
  2016        | 19,033          | 390.6M             | 0.00487%   | 1 in 20,500
  2017        | 30,200          | 397.4M             | 0.00760%   | 1 in 13,200
  2018        | 33,296          | 413.9M             | 0.00804%   | 1 in 12,400
  2019        | 40,913          | 410.3M             | 0.00997%   | 1 in 10,000
  2020        | 32,038          | ~238M              | 0.0135%    | 1 in 7,420
  2021        | 37,450          | ~179M              | 0.0209%    | 1 in 4,780
  2022        | 45,499          | ~316.7M            | 0.0144%    | 1 in 6,960
  2023        | 41,767          | >394M              | ~0.0106%   | ~1 in 9,440
  2024        | 47,047          | >420M              | ~0.0112%   | ~1 in 8,940
  2025        | 55,318          | >419M              | ~0.0132%   | ~1 in 7,570
        The Biden years are a bit of a scramble - covid and the aftermath - but the trend line goes up

        These stats aren't also capturing who gets stopped and why, which is pretty important, especially given the current government.

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