US Republican and Democratic senators have introduced legislation that would require border agents to have a warrant before searching the electronic devices of American citizens entering the country.
The new bipartisan bill tabled on Tuesday would prevent warrantless searches of Americans’ phones, laptops and other digital devices at entries to the United States, potentially bringing immigrants coming to the country under greater scrutiny.
The legislation, called the “Protecting Data at the Border Act,” is deemed as a response to an increase in such electronic searches at airports and border crossings, stating that US nationals should be aware of their rights before giving up passwords and digital account information or handing over their devices to law enforcement officers.
“Americans’ constitutional rights shouldn’t disappear at the border… By requiring a warrant to search Americans’ devices and prohibiting unreasonable delay, this bill makes…