International travelers heading to the United States are being warned to cleanse their smartphones, laptops, and tablets of private content including personal photos amid rising digital searches at US entry points. This spike in surveillance follows President Donald Trump’s reinstated “enhanced vetting” measures through a recent executive order.
These policies allow Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers to inspect electronic devices and even social media accounts — without needing a warrant.
Digital Searches Now Include Private Chats and Browser History
As per The Metro, although only a fraction of travelers are affected, some detentions and deportations have already occurred due to personal content such as political views or intimate images.
A French scientist was reportedly denied US entry in March after CBP officers found anti-Trump messages on his phone. In another case reported by The Guardian, Amir Makled, a Lebanese-American lawyer representing a pro-Palestine protester, was interrogated and had his phone examined by a terrorism response team at Detroit Metro Airport.
“They knew who I was. They went through my contacts,” said Makled, who was eventually released.
Privacy experts suggest minimizing stored data, disabling biometric logins, and using encrypted cloud storage before arriving in the US.
Travel Ban Hits 19 Nations
In a parallel move, President Trump signed a sweeping executive order on June 4, placing complete entry bans on 12 countries, including:
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Afghanistan
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Iran
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Haiti
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Libya
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Somalia
The ban, which takes effect June 9, also includes partial restrictions on citizens of seven nations: Venezuela, Cuba, Burundi, Togo, Sierra Leone, Laos, and Turkmenistan.
Trump said, “These countries don’t respect US immigration rules… Most refused to take their citizens back, and many overstayed their visas.”
The restrictions have already sparked global concern, especially among diaspora communities and humanitarian groups.
