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Border Agents' Device Searches Spark Civil Rights Concerns

4/19/2025

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CBP's Device Searches

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has the authority to search electronic devices at borders without a warrant, impacting everyone from citizens to non-citizens. Disturbing accounts have emerged, including a lawyer coerced into unlocking his phone and a couple separated while agents sought email access. Critics warn these invasive practices jeopardize civil rights during intensified immigration enforcement.

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Atallah's Legal Battle

Bachir Atallah, a U.S. citizen, experienced a harrowing medical emergency while in the custody of U.S. Customs and Border Protection after returning from Canada. His attorney alleges he was unjustly handcuffed and coerced to unlock his phone. The family is preparing to take legal action, asserting that due process is a right for all Americans, no matter their political beliefs.

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CBP's Device Searches

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has the authority to search electronic devices at borders without a warrant, impacting everyone from citizens to non-citizens. Disturbing accounts have emerged, including a lawyer coerced into unlocking his phone and a couple separated while agents sought email access. Critics warn these invasive practices jeopardize civil rights during intensified immigration enforcement.

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