Immigration attorneys advise people to travel to the US with a burner telephone rather than their genuine phones because US customs officials may look through their mobile phones, test social media comments, and save all data in the midst of fresh travel regulations for Canadians in the United States and the increased crackdown on Canadians in the US. Attorney Heather Segal told CBC News that the idea of privacy in the United States is completely different now.
No one is aware of their fears, they say.
Everyone is afraid but they don’t know what they are afraid of, according to Segal, who told the news outlet that she is flooded with emails from Canadian citizens who enter the US, even US citizens who are transgender, coming to the US, Canadian immigrants, and transgender people who are in the US. No one is entirely certain what they are afraid of, but there is a fear. They are unsure of what they have done wrong. Although there is a sense of guilt, Segal remarked,” I don’t know what I did.”
Segal said she would advise Canadians to choose an airport where they can do that because they will be on Canadian soil to pass US customs while they are there. And because they are still on Canadian soil, they can always refuse to travel and be detained.
Canadians who travel to the US for more than 30 days will be required to register themselves with the US government, according to the updated travel guidelines.
Another immigration lawyer, Ravi Jain, claimed that using a burner phone is a good idea and that he is now advising clients who were born in Iran and Syria not to enter the US right away.
Global Affairs Canada has updated its official travel advice to include a new registration requirement for Canadians planning extended stays. All foreign nationals visiting for longer than 30 days will need to register with the US Citizenship and Immigration Services ( USCIS ) as of April 11, 2025.
The updated advisory provides guidance for long-term visitors but does not raise the travel risk from “take normal security precautions.” The rule applies to travelers who are 14 and older and haven’t already gone through the registration and fingerprinting process when applying for a previous U.S. visa. Canadians who were issued an I-94 and are currently considered registered and may be exempt from this new step are generally considered registered.
