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monetary fine and seizure of the item, rather than the revocation of legal status.14 Meanwhile,
<br /> some individuals in CBP custody allegedly have been pressured to voluntarily abandon their
<br /> LPR status without access to counsel," or have been denied a translator,16 despite CBP's policy
<br /> of"provid[ing] interpretive services where appropriate."17
<br /> Furthermore, CBP appears to be transferring travelers with increasing frequency to the custody
<br /> of Immigration and Customs Enforcement(ICE)for prolonged periods of detention. For
<br /> example, the researcher mentioned above was detained by CBP on February 16 and was then
<br /> transferred to ICE's custody in Louisiana where she has now been held for almost two
<br /> months.18 Additionally, on January 25, a German tourist was stopped by border agents and, for
<br /> no clear reason, was transferred to a notorious ICE detention center, where she remained for six
<br /> weeks including nine days in solitary confinement.19 Similar cases have involved a
<br /> backpacker from Wales who was recently detained for three weeks, and a Canadian with a U.S.
<br /> work visa who was detained for twelve days after attempting to return to the United States for
<br /> work.20
<br /> We are also concerned that CBP appears to be more frequently searching travelers' phones
<br /> and sometimes denying entry after finding evidence of their political opinions on their devices.
<br /> According to CBP, it searches mobile phones and other electronic devices only "on rare
<br /> occasions,"" and in fiscal year 2024, CBP officials searched .01% of travelers' devices."But
<br /> early indications from this Administration suggest that number is on the rise23 as are
<br /> allegations of politicized denials of entry. For example, CBP recently blocked the entry of a
<br /> 14 19 U.S.C. § 1497; 19 CFR§ 148.18.
<br /> "Newsweek,"Green Card Holders Warned Against Leaving the United States,"Nick Mordowanec,March 20,
<br /> 2025,hUs://www.newsweek.com/green-cards-immigration-border-cbp-dhs-warning-leave-country-risk-2047844.
<br /> "New York Times,"German Tourists Detained for Weeks,Then Deported From U.S.,"Lynsey Chutel,March 13,
<br /> 2025,hUs://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/13/world/curope/gennan-tourists-detained-deported.html.
<br /> 17 U.S.Department of Homeland Security,"Language Access Plan,"February 28,2012,
<br /> https://www.dhs.gov/xlibraiy/assets/crcl/crcl-dhs-language-access-plan.pdf;U.S. Customs and Border Protection,
<br /> "Supplementary Language Access Plan,"February 7,2020,https://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/publications/cbp-
<br /> updated-language-access-plan-2020.pdf.
<br /> 18 Great Blue Hills News,"Harvard scientist with valid visa detained for bringing frog embryos to Logan Airport,"
<br /> Sarah Betancourt,March 28,2025,https://www.w bg h.org/news/local/2025-03-28/harvard-scientist-with-valid-visa-
<br /> detained-for-brin 'ngi g-frog embryos-to-logan airport;Boston.com,"A Harvard scientist from Russia has been
<br /> detained by ICE since February for failing to declare frog embryos,"Beth Treffeisen,March 28,2025,
<br /> https://www.boston.com/news/local-news/2025/03/28/a-harvard-scientist-from-russia-has-been-detained-by-ice-
<br /> since-february-for-failing-to-declare-frog-embryos/;Office of U.S. Senator Adam Schiff,Letter to DHS and ICE
<br /> regarding Russian citizen and Harvard Medical School researcher,March 31,2025,
<br /> https://www.schiff.senate. og v/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/03.31.2025-Letter-on-Kseniia-Petrova-Schiff.pdf.
<br /> 19 New York Times,"German Tourists Detained for Weeks,Then Deported From U.S.,"Lynsey Chutel,March 13,
<br /> 2025,hUs://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/13/world/curope/gennan-tourists-detained-deported.httnl.
<br /> 20 PB S News,"U.S. detention of European and Canadian tourists creates fear over traveling to America,"Julie
<br /> Watson,March 21,2025, hUs://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/u-s-detention-of-European-and-canadian-tourists-
<br /> creates-fear-over-traveling-to-america;New York Times,"Canadian Who Was in an`American Pie' Video Says
<br /> ICE Held Her for 12 Days,"Neil Vigdor,March 18,2025,https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/18/us/moony-
<br /> canadian-american-pie-actress-ice.html.
<br /> 21 U.S. Customs and Border Protection,"Border Search of Electronic Devices at Ports of Entry,"January 7,2025,
<br /> https://www.cbp.gov/travel/cbp-search-authopAy/border-search-electronic-devices.
<br /> "U.S. Customs and Border Protection,"Border Searches of Electronics at Ports of Entry:FY2024 Statistics,"
<br /> November 2024,https://www.cbp.gov/sites/default/files/2024-11/Border%20Search%20of/`20Electronics%20at
<br /> %20Ports%20of%o20Entry%20FY%2024%20 Statistics%20%28508%29.pdf.
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