When entering the U.S., travelers should know that Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers can search electronic devices like phones and laptops without a warrant, under what’s known as the “border search exception” to the Fourth Amendment. This means routine searches at borders and airports don’t require specific suspicion. A basic search allows an officer to manually go through a device, while an advanced search—done only with reasonable suspicion—lets them use external tools to copy or a