Lawyers Spotlight Searches of Phones, Devices at Border

While the government shutdown drags on over President Donald Trump’s proposed Mexican border wall, lawyers are focused on another border controversy: protecting electronic devices from warrantless searches. That includes their own phones and laptops, which invariably hold sensitive client information.

The hot-button issue comes into focus with a proposed American Bar Association resolution at the group’s midyear meeting in Las Vegas.
The resolution, which will be voted on Jan. 28, urges courts, Congress, and federal agencies to recognize privacy and confidentiality interests implicated by searches and seizures at the border.

Specifically, it advocates for a probable cause warrant requirement for ...