Border agents can search phones without a warrant, court rules

Customs and Border Protection agents once again have a green light to freely search the phones and computers of people entering the country, including U.S. citizens

According to Reuters, on late Tuesday, the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals found that both "basic" and "advanced" searches of electronic devices were permitted by border agents — without a warrant. This stands in stark contrast to a 2019 court ruling, which declared suspicionless searches unconstitutional. 

It's important to note that the advanced search, as defined here, permits copying the data off a person's phone or computer for later analysis.  Read more...