U.S. Border Laptop Search & Detention: No Suspicion Required Under DHS Policies

["Paul Ferguson" <fergdawg () netzero net>]

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Via The Washington Post.

[snip]

Federal agents may take a traveler's laptop computer or other electronic
device to an off-site location for an unspecified period of time without
any suspicion of wrongdoing, as part of border search policies the
Department of Homeland Security recently disclosed.

Also, officials may share copies of the laptop's contents with other
agencies and private entities for language translation, data decryption or
other reasons, according to the policies, dated July 16 and issued by two
DHS agencies, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and U.S. Immigration and
Customs Enforcement.

"The policies . . . are truly alarming," said Sen. Russell Feingold
(D-Wis.), who is probing the government's border search practices. He said
he intends to introduce legislation soon that would require reasonable
suspicion for border searches, as well as prohibit profiling on race,
religion or national origin.

DHS officials said the newly disclosed policies -- which apply to anyone
entering the country, including U.S. citizens -- are reasonable and
necessary to prevent terrorism. Officials said such procedures have long
been in place but were disclosed last month because of public interest in
the matter.

[snip]

More:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/01/AR200808010
3030.html

- - ferg

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--
"Fergie", a.k.a. Paul Ferguson
 Engineering Architecture for the Internet
 fergdawg(at)netzero.net
 ferg's tech blog: http://fergdawg.blogspot.com/


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