In a court case dating back to 2005 where a traveler coming back from the Philippines had his notebook seized by Customs Agents the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled border searches can include your notebook, digital camera, cell phone or any other digital device.

So you ask how does this really relate to me well let’s just see.

Let’s say you just took a trip to Europe with the entire family and of course you took memory card after memory card full of all those special times with the family. On your return through JFK Customs an Agent decides to not just look at your images but since you have multiple cards and he has no idea how to use your camera he confiscates your cards for further inspection. Now we all know the Government works really quick so you know they will get your memory cards back to you ASAP, in others words a few months from now. Oh wait I forgot something your from Winston-Salem and Customs was in JFK so guess where you will have to go to get your cards back because they are under no obligation to mail you anything. Read the rest of this entry »