New Bipartisan Privacy Bill Submitted In Congress, Not About The Internet

It seems the current Conservative House of Congress is not all about crushing the privacy rights of Americans with a new bipartisan bill that was recently proposed. The bill is meant to ensure that smartphones of US citizens cannot be inspected without a warrant by border patrol officers. Until now, agents could routinely check smart devices of anyone going to or coming back from Mexico and Canada.

The bill in question was drafted by Congressmen Jared Polis and Blake Farenthold, with the support of Senators Ron Wyden and Rand Paul, BGR reports. It is representative of cooperation between Democrats and Republicans, which seems to be a four-leaf clover within the current political climate.

In a statement posted on Wyden’s website, the senator explained that American rights should be protected, regardless of where they are. He asserts that this should be the case, especially when inside or near the US, which is ironic considering that Congress just abolished the rights of Americans to internet privacy.

“Americans’ Constitutional rights shouldn’t disappear at the border,” the statement reads. “By requiring a warrant to search Americans’ devices and prohibiting unreasonable delay, this bill makes sure that border agents are focused on criminals and terrorists instead of wasting their time thumbing through innocent Americans’ personal photos and other data.”

Based on the current political climate, however, there is next to no chance of this bill passing, The Verge reports. The Trump administration has only shown interest in cranking up border security measures, with the wall being just the main attraction of the president’s policies.

In fact, based on the trajectory that the Republican-controlled government is going, it’s reasonable to expect more aggressive screening procedures. Americans should expect their belongings to be searched thoroughly, including their electronic devices whenever they go anywhere near the border as long as Trump is in the White House and Conservatives control the federal government.