I’m traveling to the US mainland for the first time in my life in a few weeks.
I am not overly stressed about privacy, but I have read that US immigration can really overstep their boundaries. Are there any simple specific steps to take on my devices to protect my privace when going through US border control?
Remove my main accounts from my phone/tablet and use dummy accounts? Or just removing my biometrics?
People keep saying that they can’t for e you to enter your pin, but they can enforce biometrics.
I’m pretty sure that immigration in the US can just confiscate your devices if you are not a citizen .
Yeah, everyone keeps saying stuff like the US respects the rights of foreigners. They don’t.
A foreigner who is in the US legally can own a business, run for political office, own land, have a professional job like doctor, teacher, lawyer.
I am a US citizen but live in a foreign country as a resident and I can’t do any of those things here even though I am here legally. Only citizens are allowed to do those things here.
So in that regard, I’d say the US respects foreigners right.
CBP can and does “detain” travelers’ devices at (or near) the border, without a warrant or any stated cause, even if they are US citizens.
Here is part of the notice they give people when they do:
Maybe what I was thinking was that they can’t deny entry to citizens. Im not sure exactly, but there was some benefit citizens had.
Yeah, and it’s fully legal for them to take any money you have and claim it’s related to drug money (even if you’re a citizen). You can always get it back if you fight for it but…
Don’t bring things with you that you don’t want taken from you (unless you have to).
Traveling with large sums of cash is kind of dumb anyway. Especially in this day and age. Worst case scenario you can just use crypto to move money around.