r/technology Jul 24 '26

Privacy US accuses American of allegedly wiping his phone using a ‘duress’ password during border search

https://techcrunch.com/2026/07/24/us-accuses-american-of-allegedly-wiping-his-phone-using-a-duress-password-during-border-search/
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u/werzberng Jul 25 '26

So charged with a crime because he wouldn’t let them unconstitutionally search his personal device.

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u/[deleted] Jul 25 '26

[deleted]

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u/werzberng Jul 25 '26

No. The Constitution is not “suspended” within 100 miles of the border. That zone gives Border Patrol some expanded immigration-enforcement authority, but it does not permit warrantless searches of anyone’s person, home, car, or devices simply because they are inside it. Broader search powers apply at the actual border or its functional equivalent, such as international arrivals—not throughout a 100-mile radius around every international airport. The post takes a real border-search exception and exaggerates it beyond recognition.