The US is charging an American citizen for wiping his phone at the border

Federal prosecutors say Sam Tunick wiped his phone at Atlanta’s airport as agents tried to seize it, allegedly using a GrapheneOS duress-password feature.

His lawyers say the stop was unlawful and pretextual, aimed at investigating his ties to the Stop Cop City movement, so the evidence should be suppressed.

The case could help define how far border agents can go in searching and seizing U.S. citizens’ devices.

It may also determine whether using anti-forensic phone features can itself lead to criminal charges.