Who Dares to Travel Now? Know Your Rights at the Airport and the Border

National Media Briefing Report

Report By Kainat Rajput

📅 Date: Friday, May 2, 2025
🕐 Time: 11:00 am – 12:00 noon PT | 1:00 – 2:00 pm CT | 2:00 – 3:00 pm ET
📍 Platform: Zoom (Organized by American Community Media)
🈸 Language Access: Simultaneous interpretation in Spanish, Korean, and Mandarin
📧 Contact:

• Sandy Close – sclose@americancommunitymedia.org
• Sunita Sohrabji – ssohrabji@americancommunitymedia.org

Meeting Purpose & Context

This national media briefing addressed urgent concerns about the challenges facing both documented and undocumented travelers at U.S. ports of entry. As immigration enforcement measures remain aggressive—even post-Trump administration—the event shed light on growing reports of rights violations, intimidation at borders, device searches, and increasing scrutiny of non-citizens.

The session’s primary goal was to equip travelers with accurate legal knowledge, prevent rights violations, and promote safety through preparedness. Speakers included immigration attorneys, civil rights leaders, and tech-policy advocates offering frontline insights.

 

Key Issues Discussed

1. Ongoing Immigration Crackdowns at Borders

Panelists emphasized that many restrictive policies introduced under the Trump administration have persisted, including enhanced surveillance, broadened discretion for Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and increased border interrogations.

These include:

• Electronic device searches without warrants.
• Questioning about political beliefs, religion, and social media activity.
• Reports of racial and religious profiling—particularly among Muslims, South Asians, and students from predominantly Muslim-majority countries.

Despite policy shifts at the federal level, field-level enforcement remains aggressive, with frontline officers using discretionary authority to question travelers or suggest that they relinquish their legal status.

 

2. Legal Rights at Ports of Entry

The speakers clarified key constitutional and immigration rights that apply at borders and airports:

• Green card holders (Lawful Permanent Residents) do not lose their status simply by traveling. They cannot be forced to sign Form I-407 (Voluntary Abandonment of Permanent Residency) without due process.
• You have the right to a hearing before an immigration judge if there are allegations of abandonment of status.
• Travelers do not have to unlock phones or share social media passwords. Border agents can inspect devices, but you can politely decline to provide passcodes.
• U.S. citizens cannot be denied entry but should still remain calm and assert rights respectfully.
• Non-citizens can refuse to answer certain questions, especially if they are not related to admissibility or immigration status.

3. Increased Targeting of Green Card Holders

Speaker Xiao Wang highlighted troubling incidents where long-time permanent residents were detained at the border and coerced into relinquishing their green cards—often without legal counsel.

Travelers were warned:

• Do not travel abroad for longer than 6 months without a re-entry permit.
• Carry proof of ties to the U.S. (e.g., pay stubs, tax records, leases, family documents).
• If confronted, do not sign anything under pressure—ask for a judge’s review.

This is especially relevant to those working abroad, students taking gap years, or caregivers who spend extended time overseas.

4. Searches of Phones and Social Media

Richard Herman shared how CBP has increasingly conducted digital searches of travelers’ devices—especially for Muslims, international students, and human rights activists.

Travelers should:

• Minimize sensitive personal or political content on devices.
• Consider traveling with a “clean” phone (minimal data).
• Back up devices before traveling.
• Use strong digital security practices (2FA, encrypted messaging apps, etc.).

Though the Fourth Amendment offers some protection, border zones operate under a reduced expectation of privacy. Knowing your legal boundaries is critical.

5. Impact on International Students and SEVIS Terminations

Madhurima Paturi explained how student visa holders (F-1) face new pressures from over-policing of technical SEVIS infractions (e.g., enrolling in the wrong number of units, delayed course registration, etc.).

Key points:

• In 2024, a mass wave of student SEVIS terminations affected thousands across U.S. universities—sometimes with no warning.
• Once SEVIS is terminated, students can lose legal status, face deportation, or struggle to transfer schools.
• Students must:
  • Remain in full-time status.
  • Communicate regularly with their DSO (Designated School Official).
  • Keep all I-20 forms and academic records up to date.

Immediate legal consultation is advised if any disruption in status occurs.

6. Broader Economic & Social Consequences

Panelists noted that the broader consequences of these enforcement practices include:

• Drop in tourism: Families abroad are canceling travel to the U.S. over fear of mistreatment.
• Decline in international enrollment: The U.S. is losing talented students and researchers to other countries with more welcoming immigration policies (e.g., Canada, Australia, UK).
• Reputational harm: Continued policies perceived as xenophobic are eroding U.S. influence abroad.

 

Speakers and Their Insights

💬 Zahra Billoo

Executive Director, CAIR San Francisco Bay Area

• Focused on racial and religious profiling at borders.
• Advocated for community awareness, legal education, and resistance through documentation.

💬 Richard Herman

Founder, Herman Legal Group

• Detailed CBP’s authority regarding device searches.
• Emphasized practical security tips for travelers.
• Warned about “digital profiling” and privacy violations.

💬 Xiao Wang

CEO, Boundless Immigration

• Shared real examples of green card holders coerced into abandoning status.
• Urged immigrants to never sign documents without full understanding or legal advice.

💬 Madhurima Paturi

Founder & Partner, Paturi Law

• Delivered in-depth analysis on SEVIS rules and student visa pitfalls.
• Urged institutions to better support their international student population.

💬 Sunita Sohrabji (Moderator)

Veteran Journalist, American Community Media

• Structured the session, moderated audience questions, and emphasized the importance of sharing this knowledge with at-risk communities.

 

Recommendations for Travelers

• Pack smart: Include essential documents, proof of ties to the U.S., and minimal sensitive digital data.
• Know your contacts: Have the names and numbers of immigration attorneys saved.
• Don’t panic at the border: Stay calm, respectful, and firm in asserting your rights.
• Don’t sign anything you don’t understand.
• Educate your community: Share this knowledge with family members, students, and others who may be affected.
• Report abuses: If mistreated at the border, report the incident to legal advocacy groups or immigrant rights organizations.

 

Conclusion

This national briefing offered essential guidance for navigating the current U.S. immigration climate. Whether you are a green card holder, student, or visitor, knowing your rights—and being prepared to assert them—is your first defense against overreach and misinformation.

The speakers urged communities to stay vigilant, travel informed, and seek help immediately when confronted with questionable treatment by border agents.

🎯 “Awareness is protection. Preparedness is power.”