U.S. Customs searched 55,318 devices last year. No warrant needed. Here’s the one thing that protects you.

April 8, 2026

By Kim Komando

You land at JFK after a fabulous two-week trip seeing all of the crowned heads of Europe. You’re tired, jet-lagged and happy to be home. A customs officer pulls you aside, asks for your phone and starts scrolling through your photos, your texts, your emails.

No warrant. No stated reason. No suspicion of any crime. You can’t stop him, either.

This is completely legal, and it’s getting more common. Here’s something no one tells you.

📲 What they can search

No, this isn’t random. Border agents can search your devices without a warrant, without suspicion and without explanation. There are two kinds of searches. 

1. Basic: An agent manually scrolls through your phone. They can read texts, look at photos, check your apps and review your emails there at the counter.
2. Advanced: They connect your device to forensic software that extracts everything on your phone, including texts, email, photos, videos, deleted files, cached data, app usage history, location logs and passwords. That happened to 4,396 travelers in 2025.

It’s not limited to your phone. Agents can search your smartwatch, SIM card, flash drives, GPS devices and even your car’s infotainment system. If it stores data and you crossed a U.S. border, it’s fair game.

Device searches have jumped 32% in two years, from 41,767 in 2023 to 55,318 in 2025. The EFF and ACLU filed a brief in the Third Circuit in March 2026 arguing a warrant should be required. No ruling yet.

🔒 Do this before customs

Power your phone completely off before you reach the customs area. Not sleep mode. All the way off.

Here’s why. A phone that’s fully powered down requires your PIN or password to unlock. Face ID and Touch ID won’t work until after that first unlock. That’s the whole point.

Border agents can legally demand your fingerprint or your face scan. They cannot legally compel you to hand over your passcode. A powered-off phone forces the password situation. You can refuse. They may seize your device, but they cannot make you give up the code.

If you travel with sensitive work files, client data or anything you’d rather keep private, think about carrying a dedicated travel phone. Load only what you need for the trip. 

Your phone holds your entire life. Know your rights before you land. Now, you do.

🗣️ TEXT/POST THIS STAT U.S. Customs searched 55,318 phones and laptops at the border in 2025 with no warrant required. Searches of American citizens are up 32% in two years. Power off your phone before customs. GetKim.com

📩 Send this to someone who travels or is planning a trip abroad this year. That’s why those handy links are below. Use them.