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<p>If you have plans to travel to the U.S. from Canada, experts are advising you to leave your electronics at home if you can.</p>
<p>Tensions are high between the two countries as the trade war continues, and Canadians travelling down south seem to have been caught in the crossfires.</p>
<p>While many have chosen not to travel to the U.S. to <a href="https://dailyhive.com/canada/tariffs-canada-travel-to-us-cancel-boycott" target="_blank" rel="noopener">show their support for Canada</a>, others may still need to go there for work, school or scheduled events like weddings.</p>
<p>But crossing the border may not be as stress-free as it was before the tariffs.</p>
<div id="attachment_2118012" style="width: 2058px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2118012" class="size-full wp-image-2118012" src="https://images-dh-production-baselayer.dailyhive.com/uploads/2025/03/shutterstock_3251344.jpg" alt="travel to us" width="2048" height="1365" srcset="https://images-dh-production-baselayer.dailyhive.com/uploads/2025/03/shutterstock_3251344.jpg 2048w, https://images-dh-production-baselayer.dailyhive.com/uploads/2025/03/shutterstock_3251344-500x333.jpg 500w, https://images-dh-production-baselayer.dailyhive.com/uploads/2025/03/shutterstock_3251344-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://images-dh-production-baselayer.dailyhive.com/uploads/2025/03/shutterstock_3251344-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://images-dh-production-baselayer.dailyhive.com/uploads/2025/03/shutterstock_3251344-1200x800.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px" /><p id="caption-attachment-2118012" class="wp-caption-text">oksana.perkins/Shutterstock</p></div>
<p>Last week, Canada <a href="https://dailyhive.com/canada/canada-us-travel-advisory-update" target="_blank" rel="noopener">updated its U.S. travel advisory</a>, warning Canadians about entry and exit requirements.</p>
<p>It advised travellers to &#8220;expect scrutiny&#8221; of electronic devices at ports of entry.</p>
<p>“Comply and be forthcoming in all interactions with border authorities. If you are denied entry, you could be detained while awaiting deportation,” reads the advisory.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.cbp.gov/travel/cbp-search-authority/border-search-electronic-devices" target="_blank" rel="noopener">U.S. Customs and Border Protection</a> (CBP) says its agents do have the authority to search a traveller’s computer, phone, camera, or other electronic devices. Terrorist activity, child pornography, drug smuggling, human smuggling, and other violations have been caught through these searches.</p>
<p>Ackah Business Immigration Law founder and managing lawyer Evelyn Ackah told Daily Hive that Canadians should leave their electronic devices behind if possible. She also suggests travellers use a burner phone (pre-paid phone) to protect their personal data from border agents.</p>
<p>“If there are any concerns about their activities on social media — if they’re an activist or they’re anti-Trump — you don’t want things showing up that could lead to more challenges,” explained Ackah.</p>
<p>U.S. immigration lawyer Brad Bernstein also shared some helpful information on Instagram.</p>
<p>He says there are two types of searches: basic searches, where border agents scroll through your phone or device manually, and advanced searches, where they plug your electronics into their system to extract data for analysis.</p>
<p>&#8220;You are not required to provide your password — but refusing to do so could mean your device is seized,&#8221; he <a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DIMYytuC06T" target="_blank" rel="noopener">explained</a>.</p>
<p>Bernstein advises visitors to travel light, back up their data before they cross the U.S. border, and keep those backups separate from their laptop or phone.</p>
<p>Michigan-based attorney Doraid Elder explained in a Reel that if you refuse to give your passcode, agents can confiscate your device and will only return it once they&#8217;ve extracted all of the information they need. This could take days, weeks, or months.</p>
<p>&#8220;The key is for you to understand whatever you delete, whether it&#8217;s an old phone, new phone, whether it&#8217;s years ago or last week, can be retrieved,&#8221; he said.</p>
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<p>He recommends visitors keep their phones hidden when going through customs.</p>
<p>The Supreme Court in the U.S. has upheld border agents&#8217; authority to search devices without a warrant under the Fourth Amendment&#8217;s &#8220;border search exception.&#8221;</p>
<p>For more information on your rights as a Canadian travelling to the U.S., check out <a href="https://dailyhive.com/canada/travel-to-us-canadian-rights" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Daily Hive&#8217;s guide</a>.</p>
<p>Have you had any out-of-the-ordinary experiences travelling to and returning from the U.S. recently? Email us at <a class="c-link" href="mailto:trending@dailyhive.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="mailto:trending@dailyhive.com" data-sk="tooltip_parent" aria-haspopup="menu"><span class="c-mrkdwn__highlight">trending</span>@dailyhive.com</a> for a possible story.</p>
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If you have plans to travel to the U.S. from Canada, experts are advising you leave your electronics at home if you can.