DHS: Expect your computer to be seized without suspicion

DHS: Expect your computer to be seized without suspicion

www.betanews.com

"ICE [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] Special Agents acting under border search authority may search, detain, seize, retain, and share electronic devices, or information contained therein, with or without individualized suspicion, consistent with the guidelines and applicable laws set forth herein," states the new policy for immigration authorities published last August 18 "Assistance to complete a border search may be sought from other Federal agencies and non-Federal entities..."

(visit the link for the full news article)

Okay... Constitutional Rights anyone??

Amendment IV

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

and!

Amendment XIV

Section 1. All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside. No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.

Need I say more?

www.betanews.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

I am not really sure if the constitution applies in a legal space like a border, but I think that each of those Amendments have references to due process, so they will be protected.

Your second reference is about the laws states can make...specifically against citizens of other states. DHS is concerned with international transport; the border of Illinois and Wisconsin, for example, doesn't have a checkpoint.

And since the vast majorty Americans probably won't be crossing an international border with a laptop computer, most people probably don't care. This is really a big deal for people who cross international borders with a computer.

[edit on 30-8-2009 by IDK88]

[edit on 30-8-2009 by IDK88]

I recommend clicking on the first link in my sig and read the whole thing. This is something I have been railing about for some time..

This is part of the Constitution Free Zone extended 100 miles INTO the territory of the US leaving 2/3 of the nation without their constitutional rights.

reply to post by IDK88
I agree with you if you are talking about no-man's-land. There is no such reference here, although it may be included and in more detail in the link. Good post by the OP.

Originally posted by smurfy
reply to post by IDK88

 

I agree with you if you are talking about no-man's-land. There is no such reference here, although it may be included and in more detail in the link. Good post by the OP.

I think so...I thought international border space is neither here nor there, legally.

reply to post by IDK88

And since the vast majorty Americans probably won't be crossing an international border with a laptop computer, most people probably don't care. This is really a big deal for people who cross international borders with a computer.

WRONG!

The jurisdiction of the border patrol is 100 miles within all borders of the USA. theis means many big cities like NYC, Washing DC, Boston, Houston, Chicago, LA... are under that juristiction. forums.officer.com...

If people want to protect themselves use a software named truecrypt.

I will explain in few words on how to deceive a DHS worker.

First create a crypt drive, say about 30GB in a plain view folder like "my documents", desktop or system root(it is made to be found) . Then, inside that crypt drive you should create a hidden drive of say less than half of the size, FOR EXAMPLE 10GB.

You should have two different(it's mandatory for protection) passwords, one for the first drive of 30GB and another for the 10GB drive.

When you choose to open a drive, it will open the drive based on the password you input.

On the first drive 30GB you should put decoy files, CV's, family photos, pet photos, non confidential paperwork, well anything that is not confidential and you feel save showing to DHS. On the 10GB hidden drive you put the real stuff you want to protect.

When DHS get's into the computer they find that 30GB files, and ask you:

DHS- what's that 30GB file?

YOU- its personal information on a encrypted drive, preventing access in case of someone steals my computer.

DHS- can you show us?

YOU- Yes, input the password and will open the 30GB drive showing naive information.

They have no chance of knowing if there is another drive within that one, because the drive is allways in size 30GB not 20GB(30GB less 10GB-hidden)

There are others ways, but this one will do the job.

Be safe people protect your rights.

Its not possible. The constitution is guaranteed for the whole country down to the last cm and inch.. So if they're trying to do this within the country then it is unconstitutional. Why do we have borders if we aren't going to use them exactly as they should be?

They are counting on you not knowing that.

Originally posted by projectvxn
I recommend clicking on the first link in my sig and read the whole thing. This is something I have been railing about for some time..

This is part of the Constitution Free Zone extended 100 miles INTO the territory of the US leaving 2/3 of the nation without their constitutional rights.

Jeez, the midwest is so unimportant that they don't even bother to take our rights?

Hi all,

Yah, been spreading the word to Canadian businessmen. Seems to me, there are times when people such as DHS inspectors, inspect.
Yet now it's almost like they suspect Canadians and their info/data on BUSINESS Lap Tops?

Sometimes the American Democracy should consider YOUR DEALING WITH CANADIANS. -- You know eg Soldiers fighting and dieing in Afghanistan under NATO ?? Re: Attack on America.

See the comparison. We fight for our US friends. Our US Border friends forget about us and our efforts. Shame on them!
IF you can't trust Canadians -- well, just who can you trust ?

Decoy

reply to post by crimvelvet


NYC,LA and Washington DC are not with in 100 miles of either border

Just FYI

reply to post by ShiftTrio


Not true. Coastal regions are considered "Borders".

Here's a map of the Constitution Free Zone:
www.aclu.org...

reply to post by projectvxn


Agreed, they have that 100 mile constitution free zone, and it's just totalitarian oppression. I am in, and around that area, up north. The amount of border patrol has increased, and it's very unsettling. Most sheeple just don't seem to notice

star, and flag to the OP

[edit on 31-8-2009 by sanchoearlyjones]

Originally posted by ShiftTrio
reply to post by crimvelvet

 

NYC,LA and Washington DC are not with in 100 miles of either border

Just FYI

But they are within 100 miles of the coast... and the coast is a point of entry... i.e., a border.

Originally posted by Tentickles


Okay... Constitutional Rights anyone??

Amendment IV

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

and!

Amendment XIV

Section 1. All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside. No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.

Need I say more?

www.betanews.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

The far left is in power.

Need I say more?

I don't understand why this is a problem.
There are data storage sites that you can download your computer files to then delete them from your computer before crossing any border. Once you are back home or where you are going you can go to the storage site and download the files back on your computer or another computer.

There are also programs where you can backup your laptop to your home computer over the internet. then delete these files from your laptop while crossing the border.

Originally posted by crustas
DHS- what's that 30GB file?

YOU- its personal information on a encrypted drive, preventing access in case of someone steals my computer.

DHS- can you show us?

YOU- Yes, input the password and will open the 30GB drive showing naive information.

They have no chance of knowing if there is another drive within that one, because the drive is always in size 30GB not 20GB(30GB less 10GB-hidden)

This sounds good, but what I don't understand is, if they could see the 30GB file before you opened it and entered your password, once you enter your password so they can see inside the 30GB, why can't they then also see the 10GB file also before you enter your password too? Seems to me like they could unless I'm missing something.

Uploading to a remote site and re-downloading after crossing the border seems more effective in making data inaccessible to DHS if that's the goal.

I understand why they would search PCs, but why retain them? They should do the search and then give it back to you. Now if they find something, then they might have reason to retain it, but the law doesn't seem to make that distinction.

[edit on 31-8-2009 by Arbitrageur]

If you are really concerned about file protection I would recommend using a site to download information to and using a program called Eraser or something similar. After you have used both of those I recommend using multiple scanners for your pc as some catch things others do not.

I use about 5 different scanners to clean my laptop on a weekly basis. Using the scanners in combination with the prior mentioned processes will make sure they do not follow you steps. It would take a great deal of time to really dig out any information from your pc after all of that.

Here is a link to the Eraser program. It is free so I am not advertising for them other than to say using this or something similar with storage websites would be best. You can read about how it works on the page linked.
eraser.heidi.ie...

Raist

I'd like to see them try.
No second line required.