Taking your laptop into the US? Be sure to hide all your data first By Bruce Schneier The Guardian May 15 2008 Last month a US court ruled that border agents can search your laptop, or any other electronic device, when youâre entering the country. They can take your computer and download its entire contents, or keep it for several days. Customs and Border Patrol has not published any rules regarding this practice, and I and others have written a letter to Congress urging it to investigate