New documents allege that border agencies claim broad rights to inspect electronic devices to find evidence of anything from tax evasion to environmental violations.
While border agencies Customs and Border Protection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement often say they need to inspect people’s electronics at the border to stop human smuggling, smuggling of child pornography, and terrorism, the American Civil Liberties Union and Electronic Frontier Foundation say the agencies are authorized to search for a far wider range of types of evidence.