Has anyone seen customs ever actually search an electronic device before? I travel internationally nearly every month and have never seen this before, even in China.
Comment on I'm leaving the US for good, anything I should do before I leave?
hit_the_rails@reddthat.com 3 weeks ago
Buy some non US-based cloud storage and copy all your sensitive data to it, and delete said data from personal devices before leaving the country, so you can safely allow customs access to devices if required.
Retrieve data from the cloud when you arrive in the destination country.
COASTER1921@lemmy.ml 3 weeks ago
ylph@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
According to CBP’s own stats they conducted 42725 basic and 4322 advanced searches of electronic devices at US ports of entry last year (so before any new policies of the current administration took effect)
“Under a basic search, a border agent physically inspects your phone and reviews what they can, while an advanced search means the agent can potentially download all of your files using an external device.”
gandalf_der_12te@discuss.tchncs.de 3 weeks ago
or just encrypt it, in case you have the technical knowledge to do that reliably.
hit_the_rails@reddthat.com 3 weeks ago
Yes but you could be compelled to decrypt devices, and detained for failing to do so
gandalf_der_12te@discuss.tchncs.de 3 weeks ago
yeah true i guess
AntelopeRoom@lemm.ee 3 weeks ago
You don’t go through US customs to leave the country.
Adulated_Aspersion@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
Yet
ylph@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
This is true, however you can still be targeted for extra checks by both customs (CBP) and immigration (ICE) if they have a reason to suspect you, even when departing the US. Both CBP and ICE have access to departing passenger lists.
For example you are required to declare larger sums of cash being carried out of the country (over $10k). You are supposed to go to customs and fill out a form, but many people do not know this, often legal immigrant workers taking cash back to their home countries. CBP uses dogs trained to smell cash and patrols departure lounges in airports, and if they pick you out, you can be searched, and any undeclared cash will simply be seized if found.
It’s easy to imagine with the current administration they could start targeting people based on social media posts or some kind of previously compiled political profile or “enemies” list or whatever, if they aren’t already.