US Border Device Searches Jump 32% as Agency Withholds Key Location Data

Border security agencies in North America monitor millions of crossings annually, but a new spike in device inspections has drawn attention to the scale of digital surveillance at entry points.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers searched 52,080 electronic devices between October 1, 2025, and June 30, 2026. This figure represents a 32 percent increase from the same period in the previous fiscal year, when 39,251 devices were examined.

The current pace is approaching the all-time high set in fiscal 2025, which ended with a record 55,424 searches. If the trend continues, the 2026 total could surpass that benchmark.

CBP categorizes these inspections into two types. Officers conducted 47,517 basic searches, a procedure that does not require reasonable suspicion of wrongdoing. The remaining 4,564 were advanced searches, which allow agents to copy or analyze data when they suspect unlawful activity or a national security threat.

The agency provided limited details on where these inspections occurred. It did not specify how many searches took place at the Canadian border versus the Mexican border, nor did it break down the numbers by airports and land crossings. CBP also withheld data on the total number of travelers entering the country during this period and the split between U.S. citizens and non-citizens.

Jessica Turner, a CBP public affairs officer, stated that these searches affect a small portion of the 419 million travelers who entered the country in 2025. She noted that only 0.01 percent of travelers had their devices searched in the prior year. Turner explained that the goal is to detect digital contraband, terrorism-related content, and information relevant to a traveler's admissibility.

Privacy advocates argue that the lack of granular data makes it difficult to assess the impact. Esha Bhandari, director of the ACLU's Speech, Privacy and Technology Project, said the government does not explain the reasons for the increase. She suggested that when the state holds search power, it tends to use it in ways that reduce traveler privacy. Bhandari cited anecdotes of travelers being questioned about political opinions and religious practices.

In January, CBP expanded its guidelines to include flash drives, SIM cards, GPS systems, drones, vehicle infotainment systems, and smartwatches. The update also added narcotics, firearms, and transnational theft of proprietary information to the list of targets for these searches. Bhandari characterized these changes as minor procedural adjustments, though she noted that technological advances and court rulings have contributed to the broader trend.

Laura Dawson, executive director of the Future Borders Coalition, pointed out that the rise in searches may reflect several factors. She mentioned the World Cup held in the summer, which brought a diverse mix of visitors. Dawson also cited increased cooperation between Canadian and U.S. border services on issues like human smuggling and the Ryan Wedding case. She noted that one in 9,000 crossings leads to a U.S. inspection, while one in 14,000 leads to a search on the Canadian side.

Canadian officials have searched a smaller share of devices in recent years, and those numbers have been declining. The Canada Border Services Agency has not yet released its statistics for 2026.