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Comment by huslage | Hacker News Reader

It ONLY applies to citizens. The CBP cannot deny an American citizen entry into the country for any reason. They cannot compel a citizen to unlock their devices. All bets are off for non-citizens, sadly.

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> The CBP cannot deny an American citizen entry into the country for any reason. They cannot compel a citizen to unlock their devices.

Don't worry, they're working on ending birthright citizenship

They're gonna have to enforce that one at gunpoint

Actually, I'm not sure they can compel non-citizens. If you want in, you might have to give them the keys. But if you would rather not enter, would they compel on pain of imprisonment?

The U.S. isn't China or the UK.

In my experience going through the border in China is more pleasant than through the USA, never had a hiccup in China while I've been detained for hours without contact with the outside going through a transit in JFK.

The vast majority of people from the developed world have no problems going through any border in the developed world. Your experience is probably representative, but that's not what we're talking about. My understanding is that de facto you have no rights at all in China. The Americans take this sort of thing very seriously, which is why it's in the news and talked about. Some guy gets imprisoned for 37 days for a meme (and is subsequently paid $835k by gov't for his trouble) and it's all Greg Lukianoff can talk about. [0]

[0]: https://substack.com/@glukianoff/note/c-262196255

Yet Japan, a country the West fetishizes regularly, routinely jails people for 20 days with no contact or even any charges at all, often ruining their lives, while desperately trying to force a confession no matter how innocent you are, then (hopefully) turning them loose, and not many people seem to care about that.

UK citizen here and I've never had any issue with flying in/out of UK with several electronic devices (phone, laptop, tablet, steamdeck etc). Never even been asked to power them on or demonstrate them working (i.e. to show that they're not a bomb disguised as a laptop) and don't know anyone else that's had any hassle getting back in the country. I've been selected for being swabbed for explosives a few times though, but even that only takes a minute and is hardly any inconvenience.

In my experience, Australia was the most difficult country to get into as they are (now) very careful about bringing in any plant seeds or fruit, but the security staff were very friendly and helpful. I had to spend a while explaining that I did have some bananas in my bag previously which was why the cute sniffer dog was interested in it.

Same experience with Australia. Japan is very painless, as well. Friendly, helpful staff on both.

Australia is annoying. Israel is by far the worst- UK is bad in theory since they can jail you to compel an unlock, but obviously is going to happen to a vanishingly small number of people…

Your personal experience is probably representative in that invasive searches happen to very few people, but that's not the issue at hand. The fact remains that the British will imprison you for refusing to decrypt your stuff (or for refusing to answer their questions):

https://www.libertyhumanrights.org.uk/advice_information/exa...

>The U.S. isn't China or the UK.

Wasn't. Past tense.

They can't prevent you from entering the country. You do not have an unlimited right to bring items into the country with you, though. They can absolutely prevent you from bringing your phone across the border if you decline to unlock it

> They can absolutely prevent you from bringing your phone across the border if you decline to unlock it

Under what grounds?

The directive linked in the literal OP you're commenting under. (section 5.41 in that directive)

Customs law? You have an absolute right to return to the country as a citizen. You do not have an absolute right to bring whatever you want into the country, even as a citizen so they can search your belongings to see if you are carrying contraband. It's a different set of rules than if you're just on the street already in the country, crossing a border customs has a lot of leeway

I'm not saying that I agree with it, it's just the way it is

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