Originally Posted by http://news.yahoo.com/s/pcworld/20080801/tc_pcworld/149303

Travelers beware: U.S. agents now have the authority to seize and retain laptops indefinitely, according to a new policy detailed in documents issued by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

As part of border search policy, government agents are now authorized to seize electronic devices and inspect documents in them, the document states. The electronic devices might include laptops, cell phones, portable music players or storage devices such as portable hard drives.


Agents with U.S. Customs and Border Protection will also be allowed to translate and share documents with other government agencies.

Originally Posted by FattyJJ

Does this only apply to your personal laptop? I would think they would need some type of legal document if it was a work laptop. Proprietary info and what not that you may have on there.

I keep everything I dont want to be found in Folder Lock, so they can give that a shot at hacking. I will not unlock it for them either, unless they have a warrant.

GO AMERICA! We rock!

Originally Posted by FattyJJ

Does this only apply to your personal laptop? I would think they would need some type of legal document if it was a work laptop. Proprietary info and what not that you may have on there.

I keep everything I dont want to be found in Folder Lock, so they can give that a shot at hacking. I will not unlock it for them either, unless they have a warrant.

GO AMERICA! We rock!

Originally Posted by thenextlee

no way the ACLU or one of the other heavy hitters is going to let this fly for very long, i bet it gets appealed within a year. that is a very fine line between protecting the US and illegal search and seizure.

Originally Posted by http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/newsroom/congressional_test/laptop_searches.xml

One example of an instance where CBP determined it necessary to conduct a search of a laptop computer and other electronic equipment occurred on July 17, 2005, when a Michael Arnold arrived at Los Angeles International Airport on a flight from Manila, Philippines. Mr. Arnold was selected for a secondary examination, and exhibited nervous behavior when questioned about the purpose of travel to Manila. After failing to provide consistent answers about the individual’s occupation and purpose of travel, a declaration was obtained and the individual’s luggage was inspected. Upon the inspection of the laptop and CDs found in the individual’s luggage, officers found images of adults molesting children. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) then conducted an interview of the individual and searched the contents of the individual’s laptop, CDs, and memory stick. These items were detained, and turned over to ICE for investigation. During his subsequent prosecution, the district court suppressed the evidence on the ground that the search violated the constitution. The government appealed, and the lower court’s decision was overturned by the Ninth Circuit, which held that “reasonable suspicion is not needed for customs officials to search a laptop or other personal electronic storage devices at the border.” As the U.S. Supreme Court noted in the Flores-Montano decision in 2004, the Government's interest in preventing the entry of unwanted persons and effects – and the corresponding search authority of the sovereign – is at its zenith at the international border.