Tag: CBP

US border forces are seizing Americans’ phone data and storing it for 15 years | Engadget

mdbincbi

If a traveler’s phone, tablet or computer ever gets searched at an airport, American border authorities could add data from their device to a massive database that can be accessed by thousands of government officials. US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) leaders have admitted to lawmakers in a briefing that its officials are adding information to a database from as many as 10,000 devices every year, The Washington Post reports. Read full story here: US border forces are seizing Americans’ phone data and storing it for 15 years | Engadget

Read More

Civil Rights Groups Demand CBP Stops Facial Recognition Expansion At Airports | Engadget

mdbincbi

The American Civil Liberties Union, Electronic Frontier Foundation and more than a dozen other civil rights groups have objected to Customs and Border Protection’s plan to expand use of facial recognition at border entry and exit points.  The Department of Homeland Security proposed a rule change last month that would authorize CBP to photograph foreign nationals at any point of departure, including airports and seaports. Those captured images can be used to create faceprints. Read full story here: Civil Rights Groups Demand CBP Stops Facial Recognition Expansion At Airports | Engadget

Read More

House Lawmakers Question Homeland Security Over Protester Surveillance | CNET

mdbincbi

House Democrats on the Oversight Committee on Saturday called for the Department of Homeland Security to explain how it has conducted surveillance of protesters demonstrating against racial discrimination and police violence. “This Administration has undermined the First Amendment freedoms of Americans of all races who are rightfully protesting George Floyd’s killing,” said lawmakers in their letter to acting Department of Homeland Security Chad Wolf. “The deployment of drones and officers to surveil protests is a gross abuse of authority and is particularly chilling when used against Americans who are protesting…

Read More

‘I’m Appalled’: Lawyers Alarmed As Ottawa Gives More Powers To U.S. Border Officers At Canadian Airports | CBC News

mdbincbi

Concerns are mounting over added powers Ottawa has granted U.S. customs officers to strip-search, question and detain U.S.-bound travellers — on Canadian soil. The changes are part of Canada’s new preclearance act, which the federal government says will enhance border security and make travel to the U.S. easier. But Pantea Jafari, an Iranian-Canadian immigration lawyer, fears it could make travel more difficult for her. Read full story here: ‘I’m Appalled’: Lawyers Alarmed As Ottawa Gives More Powers To U.S. Border Officers At Canadian Airports | CBC News

Read More

U.S. Doubles Number Of 5-Year Bans On Travellers From Canada | CBC News

mdbincbi

The number of travellers from Canada hit with a long-term ban when trying to enter the U.S. has almost doubled, new data shows. Between October 2018 and September 2019, U.S. border officers issued expedited removals — which “generally” result in a minimum five-year ban — to 616 travellers attempting to enter the U.S. by land from Canada. That’s an almost 100 per cent increase compared with 312 in the previous 12-month period. The statistics were provided by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Read full story here: U.S. Doubles Number…

Read More

DHS Gave Border Agents Free Rein Over Thousands Of Warrantless Device Searches | CNET

mdbincbi

Border agents conducted more than 33,000 device searches in 2018. Court records show they were allowed to share what they found with other government agencies. Police are required to get a warrant to search through your devices, but the Department of Homeland Security’s border patrol agents haven’t been following those rules, documents show. The American Civil Liberties Union and the Electronic Frontier Foundation filed evidence in court on Tuesday detailing testimony and documents on how the DHS has allowed its agents to search through people’s phones and laptops without a…

Read More

Canada Pushes Back As U.S. Congressman Flags Threats Along ‘Totally Wide Open’ Northern Border | CTV News

mdbincbi

Canada is defending accusations from a U.S. Congressman that the United States is ignoring security issues along the Canada-U.S. border. “It is the longest, most successful international boundary — un-militarized international boundary — in the history of the world, and we’re determined to keep it that way,” Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale said in an interview with CTV Power Play Host Don Martin on Wednesday. Read full story here: Canada Pushes Back As U.S. Congressman Flags Threats Along ‘Totally Wide Open’ Northern Border | CTV News

Read More

US Border Officers Don’t Always Delete Collected Traveler Data | Engadget

mdbincbi

Privacy advocates aren’t just concerned about warrantless device searches at the border because of the potential for deliberate abuse — it’s that the officials might be reckless. And unfortunately, there’s evidence this is the case in the US. Homeland Security’s Office of the Inspector General has released audit findings showing that Customs and Border Protection officers didn’t properly follow data handling procedures in numerous instances, increasing the chances for data leaks and hurting accountability. Read full story here: US Border Officers Don’t Always Delete Collected Traveler Data | Engadget

Read More

Legal Recreational Marijuana: What You Need To Know | CBC News

mdbincbi

The legislative battle over marijuana may be over, but as Canadians look ahead to Oct. 17 — the date legalization takes effect — there are some practical considerations that should be top of mind for those keen to light up legally. First of all — and this is typical of Canada’s federal system — not all provinces and territories are following the same path to legalization. Some are imposing different regulations on the drug within their jurisdictions. Two provinces, Quebec and Manitoba, are banning home cultivation altogether. Canadians who cross the border…

Read More