U.S. border searches of laptops, phones up 32%

Customs and Border Protection data show that searches of devices carried by travelers into the United States rose 32% in the first three quarters of fiscal 2026. The period, from October 1 2025 to June 30 2026, saw 55,424 searches, including 4,564 advanced searches.

How searches are carried out

A basic search can be started at an officer’s discretion, without reasonable suspicion. Travelers must give their device’s passcode so the officer can review and analyze information. If they refuse, the officer may detain the device for up to five days.

An advanced search requires reasonable suspicion of wrongdoing or a national‑security threat. Border agents use forensic hacking software like Cellebrite and Grayshift to unlock encrypted devices and copy data.

Fourth Amendment rights allow only reasonable‑suspicion searches. If a device is accessed, its data are scanned by AI and reviewed by humans to locate evidence that may be used to build a case.

Being on a government‑vetted terrorist watch list can trigger a reasonable‑suspicion search. The administration’s definition of suspect has widened to include certain ideologies, as seen in a September 2025 executive order that labeled ANTIFA a terrorist group and a later memorandum that added anti‑Americanism, anti‑capitalism and anti‑Christianity to domestic‑terrorism criteria.

With holiday travel rising, travelers may want to wipe devices before handover. The Freedom of the Press Foundation offers a pre‑travel checklist. In one case, activist Samuel Tunick faced up to five years in prison after using a duress PIN on his phone at a border checkpoint, highlighting the legal risks of device searches.