The Department of Homeland Security is easing policies when it comes to gathering citizen information at border crossings. Is it good for Americans or does it go to far?
By Ellen Nakashima
Washington Post Staff Writer
WASHINGTON – The U.S. government has quietly recast policies that affect the way information is gathered from U.S. citizens and others crossing the border and what is done with it, including relaxing a two-decade-old policy that placed a high bar on federal agents copying travelers’ personal material, according to newly released documents.The policy changes, civil liberties advocates say, also raise concerns about the guidelines under which border officers may share data copied from laptop computers and cellphones with other agencies and the types of questions they are allowed to ask American citizens.
