WARNING: For all Travellers (merged)

[indiana_sweetie 120]

I was pulled aside for a random search when I was returning the the US from visiting my hubby in Kosovo in 2012. They searched everything, including my camera. They asked a "bazillion" questions (think embassy interview). I'm a citizen, just a normal looking white woman, nothing standing out.

[YecaCruz 379]

9 hours ago, Davejj said:

This shouldn't be a problem for anyone that has nothing to hide. It's a good thing that they are taking extra measures to keep bad guys away and make the country safer for us all.

My line of thinking too. If letting them go through my phone gets them out of my hair, proves that I'm not a terrorist or anything like that, and back on my flight then go for it. The only thing they'd find on me are cat pictures, my youtube search history of funny cat videos and cake decorating, and a few seldom-made posts or shared links on facebook. I myself don't keep important, for-eagle-eyes-only stuff on my phone in case I ever lose it or it gets lost anyway.

 

That was an interesting article to read in any case. Thanks for sharing

[N-o-l-a 7,167]

2 hours ago, Transborderwife said:

The big problem is that things can be misinterpreted.  Some bf/gf call each other 'wifey' or 'hubby'.  On Facebook someone could make an innocent comment questioning if someone is moving to the USA because they're headed there for an extended vacation.  Even carrying your own business card can spell out trouble 

 

Some people should stop doing that then.  If you aren't married don't call each other wife or husband.  

 

 

I'm actually glad to see this and hope it stops more people who are pre-planning AOS, etc.

Edited February 15, 2017 by N-o-l-a

[Boiler 45,467]

2 hours ago, indiana_sweetie said:

I was pulled aside for a random search when I was returning the the US from visiting my hubby in Kosovo in 2012. They searched everything, including my camera. They asked a "bazillion" questions (think embassy interview). I'm a citizen, just a normal looking white woman, nothing standing out.

Odd, that was when Saint Obama was in charge.

 

Not sure that fits the narrative?

[caliliving 606]

Guess what DELETE FB when u cross the border!! yes, you can deactivate it and activate it a few days later and all your information is saved:)

 

make your insta private and dont have your name attached! i have been doing this for YEARS! i also NEVER travel with my cell phone... yes, they have been going thru phones/social media for years! now all of a sudden its a huge deal??? well, if you dont want them to go thru your stuff dont bring it! i never travel with a laptop as well!  how is this possible? i use a digital camera and also plans are so expensive so why would i bring a cell? just buy a burner phone when u get to a new country.  

yes, CBP is going through phones now more then ever before!!!!! so i guess that is true but they have been doing this for years!!!! everytime you travel just think, should u bring that? should u bring a snowsuit when you are going to LA in the summer?  just be conscious of what you pack as well.. receipts ect.... 

[amberammo9915 19]

Just a heads up.. I just arrived from my  recent trip from Canada with a conditional GC and I had no issues. If your passport has a different name with your GC just make sure that you are using the  passport with the name  that you used when you applied for AOS so they can verify your new status  and marriage contract ( it was the airline who asked for it from me and not the Immigration). 

[rocklobstermass 41]

12 hours ago, Davejj said:

This shouldn't be a problem for anyone that has nothing to hide. It's a good thing that they are taking extra measures to keep bad guys away and make the country safer for us all.

"Arguing that you don't care about the right to privacy because you have nothing to hide is no different than saying you don't care about free speech because you have nothing to say."

"When you say, ‘I have nothing to hide,’ you’re saying, ‘I don’t care about this right.’ You’re saying, ‘I don’t have this right, because I’ve got to the point where I have to justify it.’ The way rights work is, the government has to justify its intrusion into your rights."

 

--Edward Snowden

[Transborderwife 4,666]

1 minute ago, rocklobstermass said:

"Arguing that you don't care about the right to privacy because you have nothing to hide is no different than saying you don't care about free speech because you have nothing to say."

"When you say, ‘I have nothing to hide,’ you’re saying, ‘I don’t care about this right.’ You’re saying, ‘I don’t have this right, because I’ve got to the point where I have to justify it.’ The way rights work is, the government has to justify its intrusion into your rights."

 

--Edward Snowden

What rights?  There aren't any at POE

[Boiler 45,467]

3 minutes ago, Transborderwife said:

What rights?  There aren't any at POE

I was wondering the same.

[Crazy Cat 41,836]

13 hours ago, Davejj said:

This shouldn't be a problem for anyone that has nothing to hide. It's a good thing that they are taking extra measures to keep bad guys away and make the country safer for us all.

Thank for injecting reason into this discussion.  You are absolutely correct..

[Lights 56]

4 hours ago, Transborderwife said:

The big problem is that things can be misinterpreted.  Some bf/gf call each other 'wifey' or 'hubby'.  On Facebook someone could make an innocent comment questioning if someone is moving to the USA because they're headed there for an extended vacation.  Even carrying your own business card can spell out trouble 

 

This. 

 

It's not that I (and likely others) have anything to hide. As a hoarder of photos, memes, and the likes... I take photos of everything I find funny or want to share with my small, but close circle. Some of these things can be misinterpreted, should you not understand the context of conversation or reason behind sending (i.e. silly memes or what have you). I'm definitely someone who is not easily offended and I would think my humor stretches to the edge or what's appropriate and sometimes not so appropriate.

 

I don't always delete the things I save and there's been times I've looked back on something I have in my photo album from 6 months ago and have no idea what was going on, where I was, and what exactly I found so funny/interesting about that moment. But clearly, I took a photo of it and sent it to someone... What if someone read my messages to a close friend, who was joking and wanting to do something embarrassing to me for sh*ts and giggles, and I replied "you better no, or I'll kill you!!", would they think I could actual do such a thing or know that (within context) I was speaking with a friend?

 

For me, I know I haven't done anything wrong and I'm not doing anything illegal that I need to hide, so I'm not worried about that fact at all. But it's the misinterpretation that I fear for everyone. 

 

 

 

 

 

[N-o-l-a 7,167]

I'm certain that with the Patriot Act and other similar such policies and legislation, that nothing is private anyways.  If you have ever watched shows about other country's POEs, they go through things like phones, ask the person to log onto their bank accounts, or question them about their reading materials.

 

In my opinion, they shouldn't be doing it to US citizens, but I'm not certain that the law is on my side.  To what extent do constitutional rights apply at a POE or do you surrender them when you fly in some sort of fine print consent?

[elisar 17]

Hi, i just need a  clarification please about this subject, i will make a trip  very soon, is everybody must give the phone and computer to the airport officers? or just specific travelers?!!!!

[dawning 212]

1 hour ago, Transborderwife said:

What rights?  There aren't any at POE

I don't think that's strictly accurate.  Yeah, you don't have a RIGHT to be let in to the country as a non-citizen (what about as a citizen?), but hopefully you do have a right not to be tortured, killed, held for ransom, and so forth. 

 

I don't really have anything awful to hide either, in the sense of something like drug-smuggling or child-pornography, but what if they decide not to let me (or anyone) in because they don't like my politics?  Just look at how divisive this discussion has gotten because some think it is blaming the current president for something that was apparently also done during the last administration.  What if the CPB officer has a chip on his shoulder like some of the posters here?

Saying "I don't mind because I have nothing to hide" implies a high level of faith in the ethics of those conducting the surveillance, and I'm not convinced that trust is warranted.

[N-o-l-a 7,167]

27 minutes ago, elisar said:

Hi, i just need a  clarification please about this subject, i will make a trip  very soon, is everybody must give the phone and computer to the airport officers? or just specific travelers?!!!!

 

Only if you are asked for them at the time.  No way to predict that in advance.