"I don't bring my work laptop. I'm a lawyer with sensitive client communications, including stuff involving lawsuits against the very agency that would be searching me." — ACLU's Nathan Freed Wessler
If you really care to learn possibilities, read the the article in The New Yorker (June) by the Australian journalist, who had a very unpleasant experience and was ultimately sent back to Australia afterwards. This is someone with well above average travel savvy. Then decide what chances you want to take.
I don't think his device was in checked, BUT Lithium batteries are prohibited in checked luggage. Now, it's *possible* the wattage in a given cell phone is lower than the cutoff. However, all checked luggage IS SCANNED (duh, BOMBS, GUNS, etc.) and will be recognized. THEN: (1) A curious or cranky TSA employee may decide to see why a phone with a lithium battery is in checked instead of carry-on as recommended and NORMAL (2) TSA rules are changing as fast as tariff amounts. Sooo . . . good luck with all the buts and what-ifs.
Obviously they CAN look in your luggage. That’s not what I asked. I asked if they DO look in your luggage if you don’t have a phone with you at customs or will they just let you through. Or if they WILL look in your luggage if you have an obvious burner phone
What are the rules governing internal Border Patrol checkpoints? I live near the border with Mexico and can't drive north, east, or west without going through a Border Patrol checkpoint. They haven't yet asked for my phone. Are they allowed to search my phone?
Why arent we talking about the fact that suddently we have to have our faces photographed when rereenter the US ? There is no human to check our passports, we are just forced to stand for a photo. There was no lead up to that change in protocol. It is another step without oversight and community feedback.
Easier to simply stay away from the USA completely.
Can’t you just put your phone in your checked luggage?
Or mail it home?
If you really care to learn possibilities, read the the article in The New Yorker (June) by the Australian journalist, who had a very unpleasant experience and was ultimately sent back to Australia afterwards. This is someone with well above average travel savvy. Then decide what chances you want to take.
I don't think his device was in checked, BUT Lithium batteries are prohibited in checked luggage. Now, it's *possible* the wattage in a given cell phone is lower than the cutoff. However, all checked luggage IS SCANNED (duh, BOMBS, GUNS, etc.) and will be recognized. THEN: (1) A curious or cranky TSA employee may decide to see why a phone with a lithium battery is in checked instead of carry-on as recommended and NORMAL (2) TSA rules are changing as fast as tariff amounts. Sooo . . . good luck with all the buts and what-ifs.
Thanks for the example that has nothing to do with my post and the hypothetical that may or may not apply 🙄
They can look in your luggage.
But DO they look in your luggage if you just don’t have a phone?
They can look in your luggage at any time. Has nothing to do a with your phone.
Obviously they CAN look in your luggage. That’s not what I asked. I asked if they DO look in your luggage if you don’t have a phone with you at customs or will they just let you through. Or if they WILL look in your luggage if you have an obvious burner phone
Very simple: don’t go to the U.S.
Good info on entering the country, but what about that 100 mile strip of militarized area along the southern border?
What are the rules governing internal Border Patrol checkpoints? I live near the border with Mexico and can't drive north, east, or west without going through a Border Patrol checkpoint. They haven't yet asked for my phone. Are they allowed to search my phone?
I don’t have email or platform activity on my phone, but I bet they’ll question my discussion to have those on my phone.
(I actually can red my phone, the print is too small lol)
Why arent we talking about the fact that suddently we have to have our faces photographed when rereenter the US ? There is no human to check our passports, we are just forced to stand for a photo. There was no lead up to that change in protocol. It is another step without oversight and community feedback.
Very interesting!
Very useful info. Thank you for the advice.
Are you an expert? I’d love to hear what you might recommend instead.