Canadian travellers crossing the U.S. border by land and air have reported extra scrutiny and secondary checks. These checks are often targeted at the traveller’s electronic devices, including phones, laptops and proof of itinerary while in the country.
If you’re preparing for a trip to the U.S. and wondering how to protect your phone and data privacy at the border, here’s everything you need to know.
Can U.S. border agents legally search my phone?
Yes, United States border agents are legally entitled to search your phone and other electronic devices. Border agents do not need to provide a reason when requesting your device’s password.
So, how do you maintain data privacy and ensure that your personal and protected details are not exposed?
How can travellers protect their data before crossing the U.S. border?
Ideally, you should leave your work/personal devices at home before crossing the border. However, that’s not really feasible for most people. So, how do you circumvent this?
- Get a burner phone that contains trip-specific information.
- Upload your personal data to cloud storage with end-to-end encryption, then delete originals from your device.
- Encrypt your devices’ storage drive and secure it with a strong password.
It’s important to note that device storage encryption is different from password-locking your device. Curious about encrypting data on your android device, iPhone or laptop storage? Read this!
How to lock down your devices before crossing the U.S. border
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection website notes that its agents can perform two kinds of searches:
- Basic search: where an officer looks through your laptop or phone’s photos, emails, installed apps, files and more.
- Advanced search: where a border agent can copy files and other content from your laptop or phone for further analysis.
Note: An advanced search requires the border agent to obtain a senior manager’s sign-off based on “reasonable suspicion” of a legal violation, except in cases of threats to national security.
So, how do you lock down your device?
1. Clean up your phone and laptop
U.S. border agents do not require a reason to assess your phone, laptop, or other electronic device. That said, start your security protocol by cleaning out apps and files that contain sensitive data on your device.
Remember, data minimization is the golden rule here.
2. Clean up your social media presence
If you can’t afford to delete your social media apps during the U.S. border crossing experience, then, clean things up.
Here are some tips:
- Review and restrict your photos, posts, personal information, and friends list visibility to friends and family
- Use platform tools to archive or delete historical posts with sensitive information
- Remove metadata from photos and videos before sharing them online
- Consider hibernating or deactivating your social media accounts
3. Lock down your devices
Locking down your device makes it extremely hard for border agents to penetrate your personal and private files. To do this, you’ll need tools like Apple’s FileVault, BitLocker, or VeraCrypt to keep your computer’s information secured.
For mobile phones, use alphanumeric hard-to-crack codes. And if you’re an iOS device user, remember to disable Siri from the lock screen.
To disable Siri from the lock screen, head over to Settings > Siri & Search or Settings > Apple Intelligence & Siri and then toggle off “Allow Siri When Locked.”
Can I refuse a search at the U.S. border?
No, Canadians cannot refuse a U.S. border patrol search when crossing. The U.S. law permits border agents to search electronic devices and other items without needing a warrant or probable cause.
Border agents can make things difficult for travellers who refuse searches. Common consequences include delays and questioning, temporary or permanent device confiscation and/or denial of entry into the U.S.
How CIRA helps protect your online data and privacy
CIRA is focused on improving online security for Canadians through its suite of personal and organizationally tailored cybersecurity products, including Canadian Shield. We are also building a better online community through CIRA’s Net Good program by supporting projects, communities and policies that make the internet better for all Canadians.
