That was not the point though. I am a permanent resident, and when i was on visa i was constantly sent through secondary inspection. I had to get a redress code to fix some of these issues, but hey, it was a price i had to pay. That is how i think about it.

Now, us is working on programs to enable expedited travel like global entry, or nexus, and more people are eligible for it (like indians). While it is really hard to see how phones can be dangerous in this day an age of internet, but still...

If they can’t establish a better situation for US citizens, there’s no way they could ever generalize it. Seems like a sound tactic on the ACLU/EFFs part to me.

Well, tbh it wasn't all that appealing even without these ridiculous rules. I used to travel there several times per year, haven't been back in over a decade now. There is a lot more than just these searches from the point of view of an international business traveler or tourist.