Quick, informative news report on a relevant topic. I'd like to know what grounds federal agents can seize an American citizen's belongings—whether it's a Patriot Act provision or some older law.

That US border agents can actually copy travelers' laptop files is completely news to me. This is a report on a U.S. Senate Subcommittee on the Constitution's findings; the reporter goes to outside sources to back up claims made by witnesses testifying before the subcommittee. It is concisely written and fair. I would like to see more quotations from people included in the piece; there is a lot of summarizing of what they say instead of the actual wording. Also, who were these witnesses? What did they say? Any way to get a transcript of this hearing, as I'm assuming that this was public?

Story highlights another example of the eroding of our 4th Amendment rights and the government claims they are doing this to protect us from terrorists. Good factual article. I would have appreciated links to the federal court decisions from earlier this year regarding the decision if taking people's electronic devices is considered an unreasonable search and seizure. It is difficult to keep track of all of the abuses of power that are being done to protect us. Senator Feingold is a busy person.

McClatchy has a way of highlighting things like this. It's just one more example of the national paranoia that has enveloped us; it leads to my question of just who we are catching. Would any of our current 'security' measures have caught Timothy McVeigh, all American boy? And would a real terrorist really not purge his/her laptop etc before passing a border? Or leave it at home?

A story on what would seem to be illegal search and seizure.

Holy 1984, Batman! This reminds me of a bumper sticker I saw years ago .. "If you're not outraged, you're not paying attention." Today, that bumper sticker is faded, has torn and is coming off. No one cares.

This is so "Eric Blair", if you get my drift!

A little more of the legal background of the issue would been more helpful to the general public.