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January 2, 2014

Federal Judge Upholds Unfettered Electronics Searches at U.S. Border 
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A federal judge has rejected a challenge to the U.S. policy of searching
computers and other devices at border checkpoints without a warrant or
proof of wrongdoing. The American Civil Liberties Union had brought the
case, arguing border officials should have reasonable suspicion in order
to seize and search private electronics. But U.S. District Judge Edward
Korman sided with the Obama administration's argument that the "border
exemption" for searches applies to digital information. The case was
filed on behalf of an Islamic Studies graduate student at Montreal's Mc
Gill University. The student, Pascal Abidor, was taken off of a train in
handcuffs after border guards forced him to show them the contents of
his laptop. The computer was seized and returned 11 days later. In a
statement, the ACLU said: "Suspicionless searches of devices containing
vast amounts of personal information cannot meet the standard set by the
Fourth Amendment, which prohibits unreasonable searches and seizures."

 

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