The Atlantic

A Stand Against Invasive Phone Searches at the U.S. Border

A senator has joined human-rights groups in opposing warrantless scans of travelers' digital devices.
Source: Dave Einsel / Getty

For years, travelers entering into the U.S.—whether they’re citizens or not—have been pulled aside at the border and pressured into giving up passwords to their phones and other electronic devices. Customs agents have claimed the authority for these searches under the auspices of a broad exception to Fourth Amendment rights that applies at the border.

But Senator Ron Wyden, a Democrat from Oregon, has a few questions about that legal authority. He sent to the secretary of the Department of Homeland Security on Monday, expressing dismay at reports that people were being asked to unlock

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