March 11, 2026
Electronic Device Searches at the U.S. Border Are Increasing — What It Means for Canadian Travellers
Recent statistics released by U.S. Customs and Border Protection show that border officers conducted approximately 55,000 searches of travellers’ electronic devices in 2025, an increase from about 47,000 searches in both 2024 and 2023. Most of these searches involved non-U.S. citizens, with roughly 41,700 searches conducted on foreign nationals, compared to approximately 13,600 involving U.S. citizens.
I recently spoke with the Toronto Star about these figures and what they may mean for Canadians travelling to the United States.
While the numbers reflect an increase, it is important to keep the statistics in perspective. First, the numbers are increasing, but electronic device searches still affect a very small percentage of travellers overall.
Nevertheless, the trend highlights how digital information is becoming an increasingly important part of border screening practices. Modern smartphones and laptops contain vast amounts of personal and professional information. Devices often store years of emails, text messages, photographs, social media activity, financial information, and work-related documents. As a result, the potential scope of information available on a device today is far greater than what travellers historically carried in physical form.
A smartphone today can contain more personal information than can be found in someone’s home, which is why these searches raise significant privacy concerns.
For Canadian travellers and other foreign nationals crossing the border, the statistics are particularly noteworthy because most searches involve non-U.S. citizens.
For foreign nationals, the stakes are higher because anything discovered on a device could potentially affect whether they are admitted to the United States.
From a Canadian immigration and cross-border perspective, we are seeing increasing interest from travellers seeking guidance on what to expect at the border and how to prepare for inspections. Professionals travelling with sensitive information such as business communications or confidential work material are often especially mindful of the potential implications.
Even if searches remain relatively rare, awareness is growing and many travellers are asking how to prepare before crossing the border.
Ultimately, the rise in electronic device searches reflects a broader shift at borders worldwide, where technology, privacy, and enforcement increasingly intersect. Digital information now plays a central role in everyday life, and border screening practices are evolving to reflect that reality.
For travellers, understanding that electronic devices may form part of the inspection process is an important aspect of preparing for cross-border travel. As cross-border mobility continues to evolve, the balance between border enforcement and digital privacy will increasingly be shaped not only by policy debate, but also by litigation, evolving jurisprudence, and the real-world personal and legal consequences tied to the devices we carry every day.
