US border device search figures and the unlock decision before travel
According to FPF on 4 November, citing data obtained by CBC News, US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) searched 32% more travellers' electronic devices in the first three quarters of fiscal year 2026 than in the same period a year earlier. The searches affect travellers entering and leaving the US, and non-US citizens who refuse to unlock a device may be refused entry. People carrying source material to the US need to decide before departure whether they will unlock if asked.
Based on 12 sources, including U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Freedom of the Press Foundation, CBP