US citizen arrested for wiping phone at airport; judge allows search without warrant

AI Summary

A U.S. judge ruled that border agents may manually search travelers’ electronic devices without reasonable suspicion, treating them like other personal property. The ruling followed the case of Samuel Tunick, who was charged after allegedly wiping his phone during a border search; Customs and Border Protection said such searches support enforcement efforts.

US border agents have been granted the authority to manually search a traveler's electronic devices without reasonable suspicion. This ruling follows a case involving Samuel Tunick, who faced charges for allegedly wiping his phone during a border search. The decision aligns electronic devices with other property types like luggage. U.S. Customs and Border Protection insisted these searches help combat various illegal activities.