Huor
6922
292
5
https://cybernews.com/privacy/border-agents-search-phones-without-warrant/
Jul 25, 2026 9:37 PM
Huor
6922
292
5
https://cybernews.com/privacy/border-agents-search-phones-without-warrant/
TonawandaBlue
Invest in a flip phone.
blindSniper9000
Yup. Fascism is back.
FredGarvinMaleProstitute
Meanwhile, "Border" Agents in Topeka, KS be like
SecretAgentSuperBooger
Related https://techcrunch.com/2026/07/24/us-accuses-american-of-allegedly-wiping-his-phone-using-a-duress-password-during-border-search/
charondaboatman
Most phones have the ability to create a button shortcut- mine shuts my phone off, needs my 6 digit passcode to open it. Also, don’t allow any notifications or apps the ability to appear on the power up screen.
Resistance1000
The Canadian government's official advice to Canadian citizens and landed immigrants (i.e. legal residents) travelling to the U.S. is to use a burner phone with as little on it as possible, especially not any social media accounts, and with a temporary e-mail account rather than their usual one.
VibratingNipples
Are they expecting all the phones to be in English or something?
MarcUK
Who says that they aren't connecting it to another computer and making a copy?
Andunistar
Oh I'll break it right in their fucking face.
emertonom
Someone else just shared this link elsewhere on this post. Apparently destroying the phone is also illegal. https://techcrunch.com/2026/07/24/us-accuses-american-of-allegedly-wiping-his-phone-using-a-duress-password-during-border-search/
Andunistar
Lol fuck em.
TheFunGuyinOz
Go to the U.S.? . . . under this regime?.
You're crazy!.
We cancelled our planned trip last year.
Planned 5 weeks touring at $5k per week budget.
Thats $25k we aren't giving to any American businesses
bumblebeezombie
Our govt is holding onto tons and tons of csa material and don’t care.
Brommith
GrapheneOS has a panic code to wipe the device. One guy gave it to the cops who asked for his login code. Funniest shit ever.
netharia
They've now charged him with destroying evidence.
Brommith
For what crime? Man, they're really going after him.
netharia
He's an activist against the construction of Cop City (an urban warfare training facility near Atlanta), which the powers that be have decreed opposition to is a criminal conspiracy (they even brought activists up on RICO charges).
DangerTrain
The courts are fucking wrong, then.
nintendolunchbox
I would be okay with this if the person was already arrested for smuggling or trafficking which they already do with warrants. But to say, I think you are suspicious. Give me your phone is against many laws.
oldguyexlurker
Wife and I drove to Mexico in May. Approaching the border from the north, we were perfectly comfortable. A mile or so from the border on our way back north to "home" we turned off our cell phones and I checked with her that she did not use biometrics to open hers. (I don't.) We now live in a fully fascist nation-state. So far, the harm I would do my family through direct action outweighs the good I could do by doing so. These are decisions people throughout history and the world have 1/
oldguyexlurker
been forced to make time and again. I honestly never thought I'd be in the position of a random German citizen in 1936, or a Syrian in 2011, or SO many others across time. I would REALLY like to have an example of a case where these kind of dictatorial assholes, once in power, were NOT removed at the point of a gun or blade. Just ONE I can look to for inspiration.
Bizarkly
Hungary recently had *such a huge voter turnout* that they disposed of the dictator-wannabe Orban after sixteen years -- and *he left*.
thrashingcows
As If I need another reason to stay out of your shithole country! We have been making sure to fly direct out of Canada with no layovers or stops in the US…even if it costs us more for the flight.
L0rdinquisit0r
This is so they can check the phones of those filming them, then arrest them for non compliance. no phone no evidence in a lot of cases.
AnOceanOfStars
Fortunately, I have no interest into entering a psycopath-led country.
lifeisadadjoke
They're going to extend this right through ICE.
Columbus43219
Now, the kicker... SCOTUS long ago said CBP can act like certain constitutional protections don't exist. AND they ruled that permanent checkpoints can exist up to 100 miles from any external border.
Kazpur81S
“what, you need some naked pictures of your wife?”
narcoleptiKnickers
What with this and fake cell towers, it's better to just better not have a mobile phone in the USA.
powerrangerpl
Land of the free. Lol.
gonzar09
You check luggage with x-ray and it because not doing so can lead to a potential disaster on the ground and in the air. Snooping in on someone's phone isn't tantamount to averting a potential disaster in the slightest.
barbarian818
No, but authorities compare it to opening your suitcase or carry on bag in search of drugs, contraband plants and the like.
Whoisthisdoctorwho2000
There's no bomb or gun in your phone, all they can find are your thoughts, beliefs and political bias... theyre literally thought police
barbarian818
A reminder of the klaxon some of us have been ringing since 9/11 and the Patriot Act. The US Supreme Court has ruled that Constitutional protections are suspended at a border or point of entry. It also defines a border or point of entry as being 200 MILES from the defined border or any airport, train station or bus terminal that is capable fo receiving international traffic.
Columbus43219
I remember The Daily Show segment on it... "Enjoy your police state!"
RanOutofWit
They can already do this in Australia. Border control have authority to examine any document you enter the country with, including digital documents that are on any storage device - including your phone.
VitaminJay
Australia also isn't desperately trying to become a fascist dictatorship...
BrdCdn
Doesn't make it ok. All it takes is a change in government.
RanOutofWit
You'd be surprised. Our right is kissing trumps ass, and our resident billionaire Gina is spruiking a political party of hard-right racists. The next election here could be a very bad turning point for Aus.
Comet260
Holy shit. I do not have words to describe just how much I hate billionaires.
Currahee63
Reset your phone to factory settings, and restore from the cloud later. Or just use a burner.
PeterNormal
plenty of countries will simply deny entry if you do this.
Comet260
I have no obligation to take my personal phone with me anywhere.
enderite
Seriously. I may be a bit older but people don’t seem to even realize they do not need their phone everywhere they go.
Sludgesoda
Eh, then you need to have all your data on someone else's computer. What are *they* doing with it?
dreikommavierzehn
Home cloud / NAS
AnOceanOfStars
They'll think you have something to hide and won't allow you to enter.
At best.
At worst, they might come up with all possible excuses to detain you and either actually investigate you, or just give you some hellish days and ruin your plans.
CocaineAndSelfPleasure
They can’t deny US citizens from entering. Though I do feel bad for whoever else has to travel.
HedonismBot3000
But can they force you to provide the password? In the article, he agreed to unlock it.
hotaru251
thats why people tell you to not use biometric lcoking of phone. they can force you to touch it or use eye/face.
They can not make you open it with your password.
chipjack
The legal precedent has been that your fifth amendment rights protect you from being forced to reveal your password as that involves forcing you to potentially incriminate yourself. Your face and your fingerprint are not similarly protected, and you can be compelled to unlock a device with a face-scan or fingerprint.
Not that the current administration knows or cares about the difference, and they've already firmly established that the constitution isn't welcome at borders.
PeterNormal
this is true if you are NEAR the border, but if you are CROSSING the border, they can simply deny entry if you decline to produce your password. Even if you are a citizen.
Filanwizard
I am not sure they can forbid a citizen from entering, However they can take your phone and send you on your way and maybe you get it back in a few weeks. from what I understand there is some software they bought from team genocide err Israel that can download basically any phone.
zzz777
Wasn't Trump just bitching about people not travelling to the US? I swear given everything Trump does he's trying to take down the US. That's not a joke: everything he's been doing harms average Americans, every single action.
Bizarkly
Putin's been holding that "piss play" kompromat over his head since the early Nineties...
PatrickDenStore
Who in their right mind would even consider going to the US these days? Europeans with valid visa and passports have been thrown in a jail cell that resembles the third world hellholes for just showing up. If you're dumb enough to go there, you deserve it.
feelymcfeel
In their right mind? Nobody.
MarsIsAfire
You're missing the point. This applies to everyone, even returning US citizens. No one has any right to privacy including devices when crossing the boarder. The boarder is a fascist zone.
TilSovngarde
As a US citizen, traveling across the country is insane. Human rights literally change depending on which state you cross into. It’s disgusting. For your own safety, don’t come here.
ScootyPuffSr
Yeah, sure, I fell in love with a woman, came to this place to be with her, picked up where her son's biological father left off, and stay by her side to this day despite her chronic illness, but fuck me, right?
enderite
Ever think of taking her to where you came from? Not for nothing, I have no idea what your country of origin is… but chances are medical costs would be cheaper or covered to take care of chronic issues.
Don’t punish yourselves. Save her lol.
enderite
I saw your reply before you deleted it.
Friends… it’s rough. Changing schools for kids. Rougher.
Your family’s freedom and state of mind? That’s makes sense for a move.
You do you, but it sounds like there are options.
feelymcfeel
Cool anecdote.
PatrickDenStore
Why not save her and take her out of that hellhole? Why should you make her, you and her kid suffer? You're not making any sense.
netharia
Most countries won't allow disabled people to immigrate.
PatrickDenStore
What? In the EU nations you have a greater chance if you are disabled.
netharia
Not if you can't work to support yourself. The immigration services don't want people who will cost the country money to keep alive.
IronMagnus
Delete your fingerprints from your passkeys and conveniently forget your password if asked.
MAN9000
This is kind of a mute point because they can just detail you until you open your phone.
NamelessFacelessAverageJoe
It’s moot, a moot point.
WardSharlow
If you just restart your phone, biometrics won't work until the after the password/pin is entered for the first time.
CerisCinderwolf
Android phones have a fancy little feature that if a password is entered too many times (or a duress PIN), it wipes the device. I always recommend leaving it on should someone be worried about folks easily accessing it.
crodrigues
given the recent news of someone going through a legal nightmare for doing just that at the border and being accused of destroying evidence now, I would suggest a cleaner way of protecting yourself and not get in trouble by setting up a secondary android profile that is accessed only when you enter a specific pin; this complies with the search orders and does not destroy evidence. it's like a kids android profile but for cops.
Hukkie
I have never, and will never use biometrics such as faceID or fingerprints to secure a device. A password or code is the only way to go for me.
DoEpicStuffVIVibes
And the more complex the password the harder it is to get into
aslum
If you have fingerprint activation on your phone and you suspect this will be an issue, use a non-registered finger until it requires a pin. You (or they) won't be able to unlock without the pin even with a proper finger print until the pin has been entered at least once.
aslum
Note though this depends on your phones settings - worth testing ahead of time so you know how your phone handles it.
lbargomancer
In most cases, you can just turn the phone off, yeah? Don't most mobile OSs require PIN, pattern, or pass(code/word) on power-on?
lbargomancer
Even if biometrics are enabled?
aslum
Long press off, not just the normal "sleep mode" off
nobodyspecial995
They routinely seize phones and other digital devices Do this and I guarantee you never see the phone again.
GrimleyGraves
Don't threaten me with a good time.
ImJustHereAtThisPoint
You won't anyway
shorey66
But what kind of idiot would travel to America with your actual phone? I'm buying a cheap burner phone. Saying that, what kind of idiot would travel to America
tinybartender
This applies to citizen attempting to re-enter the country as well.
seriously9
Canada here. Yup we boycotted the trailer park for the next couple years, until the orange is out. Sorry.
hotaru251
and thats when you win a lawsuit. They can search it yes, but they can not keep it nor are you required to give them your password. (this is why you dont use biometrics)
lildude52ca
No. here theres no repercussions if they " accidentally lose it while trying to get it back to you "
Fiss
Sadly, you'll see your phone again 3 years later, smashed to crap and back with a "Oops" tag.
Unless, of course, progressive dems win in 2 years... which...let's be honest....status quo dems are gonna win at best.
x86Daddy
This behavior has been constant under every administration since cell phones. But I guess we've never had actual progressive dems since FDR, so maybe that's it.
foolkiller333
This only works if the Feds give you permission to sue them...
greggor
You can use biometrics. Just turn them off when in this situation. I don’t know Androids that well, but on iPhone you can lock out Face ID in like 1.5 seconds by activating SOS or by turning the thing off.
seije
this makes me want a phone with two passwords-- one that's real and one that provides a restored-factory-settings version with no access to any stored data.
Axiomatic13
GrapheneOS does that.
Illithidbane
https://techcrunch.com/2026/07/24/us-accuses-american-of-allegedly-wiping-his-phone-using-a-duress-password-during-border-search/
JustDumbCommentsAndCorrections
Reading the actual ruling apparently the agent asked for the passcode and he gave it. The appellate court specifically does not address whether compelling to give a passcode is a 5th Amendment violation, as the appeal was explicitly only over the 4th Amendment issue. https://cases.justia.com/static/pdf-js/web/?file=/federal/appellate-courts/ca4/25-4239/25-4239-2026-07-13.pdf
makesense
No court has stated that demanding a passcode is illegal. But they have ruled that you cannot be forced to give the passcode and they cannot jail you over it (without other evidence of a potential crime of course). Biometrics, on the other hand, are not protected so if you use them and you are told to unlock it, by US law you have to.
req4adream99
Most courts have found that passcodes are protected under the 5th (can’t compel speech that would self-incriminate because they require telling the authorities something that is not in plain sight altho SCOTUS has yet to rule.
OriginalSyn
In the USA biometric methods of unlocking phones is not considered a password and you can be compelled to unlock your phone that way without a warrant. So at the very least disable your face/fingerprint unlock before traveling there.
Scahrossar
Same here in NL and we have much stricter laws on what cops can do (and slightly more repercussions). Annoyed the fuck out of me when that ruling came down.
IronMagnus
This is the reason I will never download or use any kind of Digital Drivers License / State ID tool.
It's just an excuse for an officer to convince you to hand them your unlocked device so they can start looking through whatever they want.
OriginalSyn
Most phones should have the ability to pin screens like your insurance that cannot be switched from without unlocking the device.
Though I personally wouldn't hand over my phone to a police officer willingly, but I have used it for giving receptionists at the doctors and vehicle registry the info they needed.
Filanwizard
turning the phone off on the plane is another way to force the pin. Unsure about others but my iPhone always requires pin from a fresh power up.