Canada Updates U.S. Travel Advisory, Warns of Device Searches of Travelers

Canada has quietly updated its travel advisory for citizens heading to the United States, warning them to "expect scrutiny" from border officials who have broad powers to search electronic devices without warrants.

CBC first reported the change Friday. The guidance was updated on the government's official travel website amid growing tensions between the two neighboring nations following the Trump administration's recent trade disputes with Canada.

"U.S. authorities strictly enforce entry requirements," the new advisory states. "Expect scrutiny at ports of entry, including of electronic devices. Comply and be forthcoming in all interactions with border authorities. If you are denied entry, you could be detained while awaiting deportation."

Digital Privacy Concerns

Unlike law enforcement within the U.S., border patrol officers don't need warrants to search phones, laptops, or access social media accounts in most cases, according to the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol.

Refusing device search requests may lead to travel delays or denial of entry for non-U.S. citizens.

Some have suggested travelers concerned about privacy consider using temporary "burner" phones when crossing the border, leaving their main devices at home.

The advisory update follows a handful of high-profile incidents of travelers being denied entry. In one case, a Lebanese professor at Brown University was, according to an Associated Press report, deported after U.S. agents discovered deleted photos of controversial Middle Eastern figures on her phone during a search at an airport.

Canada as Top Tourism Source

Canada has been the number-one source of international visitors to the U.S., with 20.4 million visits last year. The U.S. Travel Association has estimated that Canadian visits to the U.S. generate $20.5 billion in spending in a typical year.

The Trump adminstration has a few grievances with Canada, including a White House statement that the country hasn't done enough to stop the illegal drug fentanyl from crossing the shared border.

On April 1, the U.S. listed another grievance in a general report of global trade grievances. A law passed in Québec province in 2022 is a trade barrier according to the U.S. Trade Representative's office. The law, set to go into effect June 1, will require U.S. and other foreign companies to add wording in French to store signs and packaging sold in the province.