A federal court in Boston ruled today that the screening of travelers' electronic devices by federal agents at US airports is unconstitutional.
This decision reached the courts after a lawsuit was filed by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), and the ACLU of on behalf of 11 travelers whose smartphones and laptops were searched, without any, by federal agents at an airport gate.
“This decision significantly advances Fourth Amendment protections for millions of international travelers who enter the United States each year,” said Esha Bhandari, staff attorney.
“This is a great day for travelers who can now cross international borders without fear that the government will scrutinize the highly sensitive information we all have on our electronic devices and without any suspicion,” said Sophia Cope, EFF Attorney.
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is ending its scrutiny of the district court order. Federal border agents must now have some suspicion of illegal smuggling before they can search a traveler's device.
The number of searches of electronic devices at U.S. ports of entry has increased significantly. Last year, CBP conducted more than 33,000 searches, nearly four times the number from just three years earlier.
International travelers returning to the United States have reported numerous cases of abusive screenings in recent months.
