New Delhi, July 28 -- For many travellers, arriving in a new country usually means clearing immigration, collecting baggage, and beginning their trip. However, another possibility is increasingly becoming part of the border experience, especially when entering the United States: being asked to hand over a phone for inspection. From tourists and students to business travellers and even US citizens, electronic device searches at border crossings have drawn growing attention over privacy concerns and travellers' rights.

One such incident involved Atlanta-based activist Samuel Tunick, who was returning from a vacation in the Dominican Republic.

Tunick was stopped by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at Hartsfield-Jackson Internat...