Dear ,

We did it! A federal court in Boston ruled yesterday in Alasaad v. McAleenan that suspicionless searches of travelers’ electronic devices by federal agents at international airports and other U.S. ports of entry are unconstitutional. This win came in no small part because of the 30,000+ EFF members around the world who make our work possible. Your help matters—please consider joining EFF today!

“The government shouldn’t have the unfettered power to invade your digital privacy at the border,” said Diane Zorri, a college professor, former U.S. Air Force captain, and a plaintiff in the Alasaad case. “I’m proud to stand with EFF and the ACLU for travelers’ rights.”

The court held that the government must have reasonable suspicion of digital contraband before searching people’s electronic devices at the U.S. border. This major advance helps ensure that border agents cannot rifle through your private digital information without individualized suspicion.

Your devices contain a wealth of information about you, your networks, and your loved ones. And searches of our devices have grown all too common—perhaps even you have been searched for seemingly no reason. But no one should have their private information searched without suspicion.

We’ve fought for tech users for years before arriving at the latest victory in Alasaad, and this won’t be the last battle.

Please join EFF today and continue to protect the future of your civil liberties, wherever technology leads us.

Yours in online freedom,

Aaron Jue
EFF Development Director

P.S. EFF is a member-supported U.S. 501(c)(3) organization with a top rating from the nonprofit watchdog Charity Navigator. Your membership donation is tax-deductible as allowed by law, and you can even set up a convenient monthly gift.