Canadians May Need to Take Extra Precautions When Entering the U.S.

Canadians may now need to take extra precautions when entering the U.S. Recently, a French scientist traveling to a conference in Houston was deported after hateful messages were allegedly found on her phone.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents have always had the authority to search travelers' electronic devices, but this practice has become more prominent under the Trump administration. Vancouver-based immigration lawyer Cindy Schweitzer, who practices on both sides of the border, explained that U.S. border agents now have the power to search anyone’s device, including Canadians.

In the past, devices were mainly searched for evidence of crimes such as drug trafficking or child pornography. However, Schweitzer noted that recently, foreign nationals have been denied entry based on political comments found on their social media or messaging apps.