Figures from US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) show that officers searched 55,318 electronic devices during the 2025 fiscal year, an increase of 17.6 per cent from 47,047 in 2024 and 32.4 per cent from 2023. The figures establish a record annual total, although a comparable full-year figure for 2026 has not been independently confirmed.
The increase has prompted questions about the extent of government access to personal information, particularly as travellers increasingly carry devices containing financial records, confidential communications, photographs and sensitive professional documents.
CBP maintains that electronic searches are an important enforcement tool for detecting terrorism, human trafficking, drug smuggling, immigration fraud and other offences. The agency says such examinations affect fewer than 0.01 per cent of international travellers entering the country.
Nevertheless, the growth in inspections has attracted attention from civil liberties organisations and immigration lawyers concerned about the circumstances under which border officers can examine digital information without obtaining judicial warrants.
Under CBP procedures, officers distinguish between basic examinations, involving manual inspection of information accessible on a device, and advanced searches that use external equipment to review, copy or analyse stored data.
Basic searches generally do not require reasonable suspicion. Advanced examinations are subject to additional safeguards, including supervisory authorisation and applicable legal standards governing the justification for intrusive searches.
The distinction matters because smartphones and computers contain substantially more personal information than conventional luggage. Their contents can reveal private conversations, professional relationships, financial transactions and other details extending far beyond an individual’s immediate travel arrangements.
CBP statistics indicate that basic searches accounted for the overwhelming majority of examinations during 2025. Officers conducted 50,922 basic searches, compared with 42,725 during the preceding fiscal year.
The agency also recorded an increase in examinations involving devices belonging to US citizens. Searches involving citizens reached 13,590 in 2025, compared with 8,657 in 2023, demonstrating that scrutiny is not confined to foreign visitors.
US citizens cannot ordinarily be denied entry to their own country solely for refusing to unlock a device, although refusal can lead to additional questioning or detention of the equipment. Foreign nationals may face different immigration consequences.
The legal framework remains contentious because constitutional protections against unreasonable searches operate differently at international borders. Federal courts have issued differing interpretations of the safeguards required for certain electronic examinations, leaving important questions unresolved.
Privacy advocates argue that extensive access to personal devices can expose information unrelated to legitimate border enforcement. They have also questioned whether existing oversight arrangements provide sufficient accountability when officers examine or retain sensitive material.
A September 2026 audit by the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General identified deficiencies in CBP’s documentation and tracking of electronic searches.
The investigation examined the agency’s compliance with established procedures and found that 12 of 40 electronic media reports reviewed lacked required documentation, including search results or evidence of appropriate supervisory approval.
Investigators also found that CBP had not adequately tracked information about data retained, copied, shared or entered into electronic databases following examinations.
The watchdog said these shortcomings limited the agency’s ability to demonstrate compliance with statutory reporting requirements and assess how information obtained during searches was subsequently handled.
Its findings concerned earlier inspection practices rather than establishing that individual searches were unlawful. Nevertheless, the audit highlighted weaknesses in recordkeeping at a time when electronic examinations were becoming more frequent.
CBP introduced an updated directive effective January 2026, replacing its 2018 guidance and revising procedures governing electronic searches, information retention and disclosure.
The revised framework also addresses additional categories of electronic equipment, reflecting changes in the technology carried by international travellers.
For visitors arriving from Canada and other countries, the possibility of device inspections has become an increasingly prominent travel concern. Immigration advisers have emphasised the importance of understanding border procedures and the potential consequences of declining requests for access.
CBP’s published guidance states that officers may examine information stored on devices presented for inspection. The agency distinguishes locally accessible material from information held exclusively on remote servers, placing limits on the scope of searches conducted under its border authority.
Officers may also temporarily detain equipment for further examination under specified procedures, with additional supervisory requirements applying when detention extends beyond established periods.
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