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Felony for deleting phone data at border
Archived — this story has rotated out of today’s deck. It is kept here in full.
The gist
Samuel Tunick faces a felony for deleting his phone's data during a customs search. The case tests privacy rights at the border under a new anti-terror directive.
Background
Samuel Tunick was returning from the Dominican Republic in January 2025 when customs officers at Atlanta airport asked to search his phone. He gave a passcode that wiped the device, leading to a felony charge. His prosecution is one of the first under NSPM-7, a directive expanding domestic terrorism to include obstructing immigration enforcement.
How it unfolded
- Jan 2025Tunick returns from Dominican Republic, is pulled aside at Atlanta airport customs, and gives a passcode that erases his phone.
- Aug 18, 2026The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports Tunick faces a felony charge after the airport encounter.
- Aug 21, 2026The New York Times publishes Tunick's account, calling the government's actions 'creepy' and highlighting the NSPM-7 directive.
Who’s saying what
- Official
- Authorities say Tunick gave a passcode that deleted phone contents when asked to search it, leading to the charge.
- Public
- Tunick says the government's peering into private lives is 'creepy' and that he is ensnared by NSPM-7.