Journalism Under Attack: Reporting on the Border

Last year, more than thirty thousand American citizens and legal permanent residents had their cell phones and laptops searched without a warrant at the US border. Under a controversial exception to the 4th Amendment, Customs and Border Patrol agents can search international travelers' electronic devices for any reason. Under the Trump administration, the practice has increased by 300%, mostly affecting Muslims and Latinos, but journalists have also been targeted, especially those working on the southern border. Seth Harp has reported from Mexico for Rolling Stone, Harper's, and Columbia Journalism Review, and wrote a story for The Intercept about being detained and interrogated in the Austin airport in May 2019. He will give a talk about his experience, how the practice has continued in the past year, an ongoing lawsuit by the ACLU, and how journalists can protect their phones and laptops from warrantless searches. Followed by Q&A.

Programming descriptions are generated by participants and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of SXSW.

photo of Seth Harp
Seth Harp

Rolling Stone

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