I will be entering the US in October to work for about a year and half as a visiting researcher. I will be accompanied by my partner and his two children.

I am very scared on what to expect at the border because of all the stories I hear about detentions, refusals, etc.

My concerns are:

  1. Do they ask everyone to unlock their phones and download EVERYTHING in there for later analysis?
  2. Related to point 1., refusing to unlock and give access will make you suspect and they refuse entry?
  3. Do they also ask you to unlock your laptop? I have stuff encrypted there as I often have to process sensitive patient data for a project I am working.
  4. Do they do a complete biometric data collection of you and the kids?

Also, how do we conduct ourselves at the border entry to avoid getting absolutely shafted?

P.S.: I am not in a position to call off the trip. Visa is ready and tickets are brought.

  • FriendOfDeSoto@startrek.websiteEnglish
    271·
    6 days ago

    As sad as it is having to bring this up in regards to US immigration: how Caucasian looking are you? I unfortunately feel this will have bearing here.

    You can create another profile on your phone, make it look lived in but sanatize it. Your laptop will be tougher but encrypted cloud services exist. Any country you enter will get the biometrics of your passport picture on the chip. Additionally, they take fingerprints, I think, and there is nothing you can do about that.

    Most people don’t have problems getting in. If you haven’t been to Iran lately…

    • Zwuzelmaus@feddit.org
      117·
      6 days ago

      Caucasian looking

      Not sure if many people outside Usa know this hypocritical term for a white person…

      (OTOH: How many people inside Usa know where the Caucasus is? Hint: it is not very far from Irak)

      • AnUnusualRelic@lemmy.world
        1·
        3 days ago

        It’s based on 19th century racial theories, the same stuff Nazis used to come up with aryans. So very serious and scientific data, no doubt about it.

        • Zanshi@lemmy.world
          31·
          5 days ago

          It was, until the USSR broke up. It’s now in Georgia, Azerbaijan and… Part of Russia. Not that far away from Irak

          • Zwuzelmaus@feddit.org
            2·
            3 days ago

            It was in USSR but never in Russia.

            The two were like America and Usa: only ignorants thought they were the same.