[outoftacos]

I haven't traveled abroad in a couple years, so I'm not sure exactly how this works, but I would be unable to contain my laughter if some CBP cop asked me to unlock my phone or laptop. Is this something that actually happens nowadays? Why on earth would anyone ever consent to this nonsense?

[crispyambulance]

I, and almost anyone else, would consent to it for the sake of getting on the flight. Yeah, I don't like it either. It doesn't happen a lot, but when it does I imagine these outcomes:

1) Handover unlocked device, let CBP knuckle-dragger browse through it, in front of me, until they're bored and they hand it back. Get on flight. This is the best case scenario.

2) Handover unlocked device, CPB knucke-dragger takes it to back room where he may or may not download all contents and store it, enabling NSA to play seven-degrees-of-keven-bacon, Osama-edition, forever. That's the worst scenario, but very unlikely that anything comes of that.

3) Laugh at CBP knuckle-dragger, keep phone locked, miss flight, go to airport detention for an indeterminate amount of time until I give in and handover unlocked phone, be subject to scrutiny and "commentary" from CBP official, and maybe, get put on a list somewhere which will cause this to happen every time I fly.

[mikeash]

If you are a US citizen entering the US (don't try this if you're a green card holder or a visitor), then in the case of (3), they can't hold you indefinitely, although they can hold your phone indefinitely.

This has never happened to me, and it probably never will, but if it does my plan is to refuse to unlock the phone and wait it out.

[crispyambulance]

I used the term "indefinitely" too loosely. I should have said "far longer than most people are willing tolerate for the sake of making a point."

But OK, staying locked is a fine thing to do but most people would want to get on with their lives.

[tony101]

Exactly. U.S. Customs and Border Patrol can't detain U.S. citizens indefinitely without charging them with a crime and trying them in court.

[throwaway613834]

> Is this something that actually happens nowadays?

Yes, I personally know someone this has happened to. Also resulted in my own personal name/address/other info (amongst that of many others) also being demanded and hence provided to the government.

> Why on earth would anyone ever consent to this nonsense?

What would you do if you weren't a citizen and had a family to come back home to? Just be okay with being denied entry?

[schoen]

See ¶ 38 and ¶¶ 47-49 of the complaint: https://www.eff.org/document/alasaad-v-duke-complaint

[CamperBob2]

Why on earth would anyone ever consent to this nonsense?

Because the government has more guns than you do.

The detailed legal answer is far more complicated than that, but it simplifies readily.

[tehlike]

You have no idea. Travel to usa from turkey, and im not kidding, you need to go through around 6 id checks and luggage checks even for us citizens.