Bill Would Restrict Border Searches of Laptops

A bill to restrict border searches of laptops and other electronic devices has been introduced by Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Wis.

The bill would require customs agents to have a reasonable suspicion of wrongdoing before an inspection, and would allow the government to hold seized items for only 24 hours before seeking a warrant, the New York Sun reports on its last day of publication. The bill bars racial profiling, but it protects only Americans.

Currently, federal agencies assert they can confiscate and copy laptops at U.S. borders for virtually any reason. Previously the government had required probable cause that a law had been broken before agents could copy material being brought into the country.

The article is by Josh Gerstein, published on his last day at the Sun. The conservative newspaper announced it is shutting down today after it was unable to raise money to keep on publishing.