Constitutional Rights at the Border: Digital Device Searches & Related Issues

This program, taught by Esha Bhandari, Senior Staff Attorney with the ACLU Speech, Privacy, and Technology Project, will provide attendees with a review and analysis of the current state of the law regarding constitutional rights at the U.S. border with respect to searches, with a focus on warrantless device searches. The program will cover federal government policies and practices on border searches of electronic devices, as well as constitutional limitations and relevant case law. The course will also provide guidance to practitioners on safeguarding sensitive information when traveling into or out of the United States with electronic devices and will discuss strategies to suppress the evidence from device searches.  

Learning Objectives:

1. Identify current federal government policies and practices with respect to border device searches
2. Review the state of the law on border device searches, including relevant First and Fourth Amendment issues
3. Provide practical guidance to legal practitioners on safeguarding sensitive information
4. Discuss strategies for suppressing evidence in court