[Source article](The Fourth Circuit Says Border Agents Can Search Your Phone By Hand, No Suspicion Required | Electronic Frontier Foundation)
The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals recently ruled in *U.S. v. Belmonte Cardozo* that U.S. border agents can conduct manual searches of electronic devices without requiring reasonable suspicion. This decision rejects arguments from EFF and allied organizations that such searches should meet the same Fourth Amendment standards as forensic device searches, which typically require suspicion tied to border security concerns. The court allowed agents to inspect phones by hand at the border—even for domestic law enforcement purposes—without any indication of wrongdoing.
This ruling expands the “border search exception” to electronic devices, creating a lower privacy standard for travelers. While the Supreme Court previously recognized the unique privacy risks of device searches in *Riley v. California* (2014), this decision shows how lower courts are still grappling with balancing national security interests against digital privacy rights. The outcome could make it easier for authorities to access sensitive personal data (e.g., messages, photos, location history) during routine border crossings.
Has anyone encountered similar rulings in other jurisdictions or seen how this might affect practical traveler protections? I’m curious to hear if this aligns with broader trends in digital privacy law.
