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:
- Do they ask everyone to unlock their phones and download EVERYTHING in there for later analysis?
- Related to point 1., refusing to unlock and give access will make you suspect and they refuse entry?
- 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.
- 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.
Not all visits are the same, and that’s not really a good comparison. There’s a huge difference between visiting as a tourist temporarily for the world cup (a high profile event with extensive news coverage where any refusal is going to attract attention and be very internationally newsworthy) and the relatively routine process of actually immigrating for long-term work (dirty immigrants taking our jobs! /s) which is exactly what they are fighting against, whether any of us agree with that or not.
The latter is much, much riskier in today’s political climate. It shouldn’t be. But it is.