As global travel rebounds and immigration enforcement intensifies, a quiet but significant shift is taking place at U.S. borders. Phones and laptops have become central to how customs officers assess risk, screen for security threats and make decisions about who can enter the country.

For international travelers, that means digital privacy is no longer an abstract concern but a frontline issue that can shape their experience at passport control.

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Record Numbers of Device Searches at U.S. Borders

Electronic device searches by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, or CBP, are at record highs, according to newly released government statistics. In fiscal year 2024, which ran from October 1, 2023 to September 30, 2024, CBP conducted a little over 47,000 searches of phones, laptops and other devices at ports of entry.

That figure has now been eclipsed in fiscal year 2025, with roughly 55,000 device searches conducted between October 1, 2024 and September 30, 2025, a year on year increase of about 17 percent.

While those numbers are striking, CBP emphasizes that device searches still touch a small fraction of total travelers. In 2024, more than 420 million people were processed at U.S. ports of entry, and fewer than 0.01 percent had their electronics examined.

Even so, the decade long trend points in one direction. In 2015, the agency reported just over 8,500 electronic searches. That total has multiplied several times as digital screening tools have become standard in front line enforcement.

The acceleration has been especially sharp in recent quarters. Between April and June 2025 alone, CBP officers examined 14,899 electronic devices, the highest quarterly total ever recorded and a significant jump over the previous peak set in early 2022.

Internal breakdowns provided by CBP and analyzed by technology and security outlets show that more than 13,000 of those were so called basic, or manual, searches, with about 1,000 classified as advanced forensic examinations.

The rise is being driven by a blend of policy and technology. The current administration in Washington has backed expanded border screening as part of a broader package of tougher immigration and security measures.

At the same time, CBP has invested heavily in specialized forensic tools that can copy, analyze and store data from smartphones and computers, making it easier and faster for front line officers to examine digital content.

Who Is Being Searched and Why It Matters

Official statistics show that non U.S. citizens are significantly more likely than citizens to face a device search at the border.

Recent data compiled from CBP reports indicates that of roughly 55,000 electronic device searches carried out in fiscal year 2025, more than 41,000 involved non U.S. citizens, compared with about 13,500 U.S. passport holders.

Analysts say that reflects the agency’s mandate to determine admissibility and identify potential security or immigration violations among visitors.

For travelers, the impact of a phone search goes beyond a short delay at secondary inspection. Immigration lawyers and rights groups describe cases in which social media posts, messaging app conversations, photos or saved documents have been used to justify denying entry or canceling visas.

Reports in U.S. and international media have highlighted instances where travelers were turned away based on political content, messages critical of U.S. policy or online associations that raised red flags for officers.

The consequences are different depending on a traveler’s legal status. U.S. citizens must be allowed to enter the country, even if they refuse to unlock a device, but CBP may detain the phone or laptop for days or weeks for further examination.

Lawful permanent residents generally have strong protections but can face complex legal questions if officers decide there are grounds to treat them as potentially inadmissible. Visitors on visas or visa waiver programs have the most to lose, since refusing a search can lead to immediate denial of entry with limited avenues for appeal.

Beyond individual cases, privacy advocates argue that the power to scrutinize digital lives at the border has a chilling effect on travelers, particularly journalists, human rights workers, lawyers and political activists.

They warn that knowing a border agent might read private messages or examine contact lists can shape how people communicate and what information they carry, especially when traveling to or through the United States for work.

The key legal principle behind device checks at U.S. borders is known as the border search exception. Under long standing Supreme Court doctrine, routine searches at international borders and airports are considered part of the sovereign right to control entry and can be conducted without a warrant or individualized suspicion.

Historically, that exception applied to bags, vehicles and cargo. In the past decade, it has been extended in practice to digital devices as phones and laptops became central to travel.

CBP operates under internal directives that distinguish between basic and advanced electronic searches. In a basic search, an officer may manually scroll through a phone, review stored messages, examine photos or open apps, all without a warrant.

Advanced searches involve connecting a device to external equipment to copy or analyze large volumes of data, including deleted files or metadata. For these more invasive techniques, agency policy requires reasonable suspicion of a law violation or a national security concern, as well as supervisory approval.

The courts have not fully settled how the border search exception applies to modern smartphones, which can store years of intimate personal data. Some federal appellate courts have accepted broad, suspicionless searches of devices at the border.

Others have begun to narrow the government’s authority, indicating that at least some level of individualized suspicion may be required for extensive digital examinations.

A series of lawsuits brought by civil liberties organizations has challenged bulk data retention and argued that forensic searches should require a warrant.

Amid these unresolved questions, CBP maintains that device searches are a critical investigative tool. The agency cites cases in which inspections uncovered child exploitation material, evidence of terrorism or support for sanctioned groups, as well as proof of human trafficking, smuggling, export control violations and visa fraud.

Privacy groups counter that such examples do not justify sweeping access to the digital lives of ordinary travelers, particularly when information collected can be stored in government systems for years and shared across law enforcement databases.

For most travelers, a device search begins when an officer at passport control or during secondary inspection asks to see a phone, laptop or tablet. In a typical basic search, the officer may request the device be unlocked and then review recent calls, text and messaging apps, social media accounts, photos, videos, downloads and documents.

According to CBP policy, officers are instructed not to intentionally access data stored only in the cloud, but in practice the distinction between local and cloud content can be blurred when apps sync automatically.

Travelers can be asked to provide passwords, remove biometric locks or log into social media and email accounts. Guidance shared with officers notes that while they are allowed to examine publicly visible online information, deeper account access should be tied to identity verification or specific concerns.

If the initial review raises questions, the inspection can lengthen, with multiple officers involved and detailed notes taken on what was found.

Advanced searches are less common but far more intrusive. In these cases, devices may be connected to specialized forensic tools that mirror storage, recover deleted content and extract databases from apps.

Companies that supply such equipment market capabilities such as cracking passcodes, bypassing some security protections and assembling comprehensive profiles of a user’s communications and movements. CBP policy requires supervisory sign off for this type of search and, on paper, a showing of reasonable suspicion.

When officers decide more time is needed for review, they can detain a device even after the traveler is allowed to continue their journey. Official guidelines state that CBP should normally hold phones or laptops for no more than five days, although extensions are permitted in certain circumstances.

Travelers whose devices are taken are supposed to receive a custody receipt noting what was seized. Data drawn from those devices may be retained for years if considered relevant to law enforcement, intelligence or immigration databases.

How Travelers Are Responding and What Experts Advise

The surge in device searches has sparked a wave of practical guidance from digital security experts, immigration attorneys and privacy advocates.

While they differ on how aggressive travelers should be in resisting inspections, there is broad agreement on one central point: the less sensitive data you carry across the border, the less risk you face if your phone or laptop is examined.

Common recommendations include traveling with minimal devices, deleting high risk information such as scans of IDs, financial data, intimate photos and confidential work files, and logging out of apps that contain sensitive messages or documents.

Some experts suggest using temporary travel phones or clean laptops, particularly for journalists, activists and corporate travelers handling trade secrets.

Another widely shared tactic is to rely more on secure cloud storage for important files and avoid carrying comprehensive archives of personal communications on the device itself.

Security specialists also point to the difference between biometric and passcode locks. Under current interpretations of U.S. law, border agents are more likely to be able to compel a traveler to use a fingerprint or facial recognition unlock than to disclose a memorized passcode.

As a result, a growing number of lawyers advise disabling biometric authentication before reaching the inspection line, relying instead on strong numerical or alphanumeric passwords.

At the same time, legal experts warn that asserting rights at the border can carry practical consequences, especially for non citizens.

While U.S. nationals cannot be turned away for refusing to unlock a device, they should be prepared for the possibility that their electronics may be detained and searched later.

Visitors who decline to cooperate risk being placed on a return flight with little recourse. For that reason, many attorneys emphasize planning ahead and minimizing exposure rather than making spur of the moment decisions in the inspection booth.

Implications for Tourism, Business Travel and Cross Border Life

The expansion of digital screening at U.S. ports of entry is reshaping how some travelers think about itineraries, stopovers and airline connections.

Travel industry analysts and corporate security managers say concern about device searches now features in pre trip briefings for staff heading to the United States, particularly those carrying sensitive commercial information or who routinely communicate with sources in politically sensitive regions.

Some European and Canadian travel agencies report that clients are increasingly asking about digital privacy risks alongside visa requirements and wait times at immigration.

While there is little evidence so far that device searches are deterring tourists in large numbers, diplomats and tourism boards in allied countries have quietly raised the issue with U.S. officials, warning that high profile incidents at the border can damage the perception of the United States as a welcoming destination.

For cross border communities and frequent travelers, from tech workers shuttling between offices to family members visiting relatives, the new reality is a more complex mental checklist before each trip.

What is saved in messaging apps, which social media accounts are active on the device and whether work related files are necessary for the journey have become part of routine travel planning.

For many, the trade off between convenience and privacy has shifted, with travelers spending more time curating what their digital footprint looks like at the moment of inspection.

Airlines, hotels and corporate travel departments are beginning to acknowledge these concerns more explicitly. Some companies now provide loaner devices for staff visiting the United States, pre configured with only essential tools and data.

Others encourage employees to avoid carrying client data unless strictly necessary. Within the global travel ecosystem, digital privacy at borders is becoming another risk category to be managed alongside health, insurance and political stability.

FAQ

Q1. Can U.S. border agents really search my phone without a warrant?
Yes. Under the border search exception, CBP officers are allowed to conduct warrantless searches of electronic devices at international borders and airports. Basic manual searches do not require any individualized suspicion, while more invasive forensic searches are supposed to be tied to reasonable suspicion and supervisory approval.

Q2. How likely is it that my phone will be searched when I arrive in the United States?
Statistically, the chance remains low. In recent years, fewer than 0.01 percent of international arrivals have had their devices searched. However, the absolute number of searches has climbed sharply to record levels, so while any individual traveler is unlikely to be stopped, the practice is more common than it was a decade ago.

Q3. Do U.S. citizens have to unlock their devices for border agents?
U.S. citizens can refuse to provide passcodes or unlock their devices, and they cannot be denied entry solely for that refusal. CBP can, however, detain the device for further examination and may keep it for days or longer. Travelers who choose to decline should be prepared for delays and the potential loss of access to their phone or laptop for a period of time.

Q4. What happens if I am a visitor and refuse a phone search?
Non U.S. citizens, including visa holders and travelers under the visa waiver program, may be denied entry if they refuse to comply with a requested device search. CBP officers have broad discretion to treat refusal as a factor in determining admissibility. In practice, that can mean being turned around and placed on a flight back to the point of departure.

Q5. What is the difference between a basic and an advanced device search?
A basic search involves an officer manually browsing through your phone or laptop, looking at stored content such as photos, messages and documents. An advanced search uses specialized forensic tools to copy and analyze larger volumes of data, including potentially deleted or hidden files. Agency policy says advanced searches require reasonable suspicion and supervisory sign off.

Q6. How long can CBP keep my phone or laptop if they take it?
CBP guidelines state that devices should generally be held for no more than five days, though extensions can be approved in particular cases. When a device is detained, travelers should receive a custody receipt describing what was taken. Data extracted from devices can be stored in government systems for years if officials consider it relevant to law enforcement or immigration matters.

Q7. Are my cloud accounts and social media profiles also fair game?
CBP policy advises officers not to intentionally access data stored only in the cloud, but in practice they may ask travelers to log into email, social media or messaging accounts if they believe it is relevant to identity verification or security concerns. Because many apps sync local and cloud data automatically, the line between on device and online information is often blurred during inspections.

Q8. What steps can I take before travel to protect my privacy?
Experts recommend minimizing the amount of sensitive information on devices before crossing the border. That can include deleting confidential files and intimate photos, logging out of accounts that contain especially private messages, using strong passcodes instead of biometric locks and considering temporary or secondary devices for high risk trips. Storing important data securely in the cloud rather than locally can also reduce what is exposed in a search.

Q9. Are journalists, lawyers and activists treated differently at the border?
There are no blanket exemptions from device searches for particular professions, but these groups often face heightened risks because their phones and laptops may contain sensitive sources, privileged communications or politically sensitive material. Press freedom and civil liberties organizations advise such travelers to adopt stricter digital hygiene, seek legal guidance in advance and consider using dedicated travel devices with limited data.

Q10. Could increased phone searches affect whether I choose to travel through the United States?
For some travelers, especially those carrying sensitive commercial information or engaged in political or human rights work, the prospect of a device search has become one factor when planning itineraries and transit routes. While the vast majority of visitors enter without incident, awareness of these practices is growing, and digital privacy at the border is becoming part of many travelers’ broader assessment of risk and comfort when choosing destinations and flight connections.