Border Privacy: CBP Searches 52,080 Devices in Nine Months

U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers inspected 52,080 electronic devices at ports of entry between October 1, 2025, and June 30, 2026. The count represents a 32% increase from the 39,251 devices searched during the same period in the prior year, according to data obtained by CBC News.

The nine-month total is close to the fiscal 2025 record of 55,424 searches. CBP categorized 47,517 of the 2026 inspections as basic searches, which require no reasonable suspicion. The remaining 4,564 were advanced searches, authorized by reasonable suspicion of unlawful activity or national security concerns.

The agency did not specify how many searches occurred at the Canadian versus Mexican borders, nor did it break down the data by airports and land crossings. CBP also withheld the total number of travelers during the period and the ratio of searches involving U.S. citizens versus non-citizens, details typically included in annual reports.

Jessica Turner, a CBP public affairs officer, noted that 419 million travelers entered the country in 2025. She stated in an email that only 0.01% of travelers had their devices searched year-over-year. Turner explained that the inspections aim to detect digital contraband, terrorism-related content, and information relevant to admissibility.

Esha Bhandari, director of the ACLU's Speech, Privacy and Technology Project, argued that the rise necessitates greater congressional oversight. She stated that the government rarely explains the reasons for increases in searches. Bhandari said that when the government holds such power, it tends to use it to the detriment of travelers' privacy.

Bhandari cited anecdotes from her organization, including travelers being questioned about political opinions, writing, or religious practice. She suggested the increase may reflect technological advances and a failure of federal courts to limit government authority, noting that updated guidelines now cover items like smart watches and vehicle infotainment systems.

Laura Dawson, executive director of the Future Borders Coalition, said the data is difficult to interpret without knowing specific locations or crossing volumes. She pointed to the World Cup and increased cooperation between Canadian and U.S. border services on human smuggling as potential factors. Dawson calculated that one in 9,000 crossings results in a U.S. inspection, while one in 14,000 leads to a search on the Canadian side.