US Border Agents can seize and retain Laptops

[Lady Seahawke]

Agam Shah, IDG News Service

Fri Aug 1, 7:50 PM ET

US Border Agency Says It Can Seize Laptops

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.

The DHS document, issued July 16, appears to state publicly a policy that has already existed. Laptops and electronic devices have been subject to search in the past, and travelers have reported not getting their devices back. The policy has drawn strong criticism from lawmakers and nonprofit groups, who charged that the searches were invasive and a violation of an individual's privacy rights. Computers contain a vast amount of private information about family, finances and health, which could be easily copied and stored in government databases, the Electronic Frontier Foundation has complained.

The policy document states that being able to examine documents and electronic devices is crucial for "detecting information concerning terrorism, narcotics smuggling... contraband including child pornography, and... other import or export control laws."

The new DHS policies allow customs agents to analyze the contents of laptops without any suspicion of wrongdoing, U.S. Senator Russ Feingold said in a statement.

"The policies that have been disclosed are truly alarming," Feingold wrote.

The policy could blur the distinction between "search" and "seizure," which could also allow DHS officials to steal personal documents from laptops it has retained, Feingold wrote.

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[michaelsbagley]

As someone who has cause to cross the border regularly, I find this news horrifying. I guess from here on in I make sure I leave the laptop at home (not that I bring it with me often anyways)... If my laptop was ever confiscated, I would lose way to much information that is valuable to me.

[The Doctor]

Welcome to the society Orwell and Huxley warned us about. It's here, and good luck dislodging it. God help us all.

[Lady Seahawke]

Note the one sentence in the above report.

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.

They can take your cell phone, portable music players or storage devices too.

bolding and sizing mine

[Red Cat Jenny]

Must be great for them at holiday shopping time

PS - Don't forget to erase that stuff you swear you never download

PPS - Ive never seen this happen. There'd be a riot in my opinion..

[Salty]

just goes to show you that in a society that relies too much on technology. It stands to reason we should all go back to hand written documents and playing music on instraments. harder to copy and mayhaps they would not want to waste thier time hand copying and they cannot fault you for copyright infringment if you play your own tunes.

Ah I knew I was born in the wrong century

[Lady Seahawke]

Just remember once on a computer nothing really is EVER erased. Reason why they can keep it for as long as they deem neccessary. Retrevial of data may take time but even when erased it can be found. The binary code is still imprinted it needs to be sorted but it can be found.

Yes it will happen, once on the machine to be scanned they can just pick it up for further testing and if you complain, they just tell you its the law. If you complain too much they can slap handcuffs on you. No riot cause your arse can be just hauled away before you can create a scene. Besides I think that is one reason we have sort of trained to accept it as with the other rules about flights and such. When the reporters ask about whether travelers will accept things you hear "Well, if it will make us safer I guess it is ok"

Ie, the new scanners that scan people as they walk through and the scan is like an xray to see under your clothes. So do you think anyone is going to risk bucking the system for someone else's computer? Don't think so not in this day and age.

[NastyNate]

Welcome to the society Orwell and Huxley warned us about. It's here, and good luck dislodging it. God help us all.

I never claimed to be a learned men, I injoy being a simple man, but i have read the formentioned authors and that refrence does disturb me. One is left to wonder , do we let ourselves become some sort of human zoo for big brother to roam around and look in on us as he please because it's "for our protection"? Even with nothing to hide it's hard to feel comfortable with this. What do we do? Do we stand by and let your freedom and privacy become an illusion? Or do we speak out?

Wow, that sounds really wierd coming from a guy who's in the military and volentered for just that sort of a life, not once but twice. Kind of ironic huh?

[NastyNate]

heah i'm a swabber...cool whaen did that happen?

[Patrick Hand]

Hey... is anyone really surprised about that?

Our Government trying to protect us is worse than anything any terrorist can do......

[NastyNate]

Now that you mentions it I'm really not surprised. But I do enjoy a little rant every now and then.

[Capt Grey]

"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both." - Benjamin Franklin

[Dorian Lasseter]

I think I posted this awhile ago, not sure where...

You want change? You want to keep America Free? It starts with you and me...

[Rumba Rue]

Simple solution, leave the stuff at home.

[Red Cat Jenny]

so what you need is to send your laptop via that nifty tunnel they have into the states