An immigration lawyer is warning travelers headed to the United States 🇺🇸 that wiping their phones clean before arrival can backfire, as border checks increasingly include questions about what people post and share online. The attorney’s blunt advice—“Don’t delete social media apps from your phone”—reflects a reality at airports and land crossings where U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers may ask to look at a device during inspection.
Deleted apps, missing accounts, or sudden gaps in activity can look like an effort to hide something, the lawyer said. Even visitors, he added, should expect more screening under President Trump’s approach today.
Proposed changes to ESTA and what they would require
A new proposal signals tougher digital vetting well before someone reaches a passport booth. A Federal Register notice published December 10, 2025 would expand the Electronic System for Travel Authorization, known as ESTA, and make social media disclosure mandatory for visa‑free travelers.
Key elements of the proposal include:
- Applicants from 42 Visa Waiver Program countries (including Australia) would have to list five years of social media history.
- The proposal also seeks biometrics and extended contact history:
- Selfies
- Fingerprints
- DNA
- Phone numbers from the last five years
- Email addresses from the last ten years
Comments close February 9, 2026; it’s a proposal.
How officials and advocates frame the change
President Trump has framed the push as a safety measure.
“We want safety. We want security. We want to make sure we’re not letting the wrong people come enter our country,” he said, according to the source material.
Privacy advocates argue that pulling personal online history into travel screening crosses a line and may chill speech, especially for visitors who use social media to talk politics or faith. Some tourism groups worry that extra data demands will discourage short trips; Trump has dismissed concerns about visitors choosing other destinations.
If adopted, the draft rule would make that debate part of the booking process.
Current border authority and traveler experience
Even without changes to ESTA, CBP already has broad authority at the border. Courts have long given the government more room to search at ports of entry than inland.
- Officers can ask a traveler to:
- Unlock a phone
- Scroll through messages
- Open social media apps
- Travelers may refuse, but non‑citizens can face delays or denial of entry if they do.
CBP tells visitors to check official guidance for travel authorization on its site, including the ESTA information page at CBP’s ESTA portal. The agency has not announced a start date for the proposal. Still, its publication has already changed traveler behavior.
Practical advice from the immigration attorney
The attorney’s point is practical: sudden phone “cleanups” can look worse than messy reality. His recommendations:
- Don’t delete apps, posts, or entire accounts before travel.
- Deleted apps or gaps in activity may suggest an attempt to erase evidence.
- Use privacy settings to limit what strangers can view, while keeping accounts intact.
- For people with multiple social media apps:
- Turn old profiles private
- Remove public contact details
- Log out instead of uninstalling apps
⚠️ Expect closer scrutiny at the border and potential questions about posts or contacts. Refusal to unlock a device or reveal information can lead to delays or denial of entry for non‑citizens.
The attorney stressed these steps are not a guarantee but may help avoid extra questions at the booth today.
Why travelers are anxious
Many travelers only learn about this scrutiny when they are tired, in line, and asked for a passcode. The source material did not name a specific traveler who faced a phone search, but lawyers say the fear is common among students, workers, and tourists who have legal status yet still worry a misunderstood joke or a political repost could trigger more screening.
Because ESTA covers short visits—tourism or business for up to 90 days—people often treat it like a simple checkbox before a holiday. The proposed data pull would turn that quick step into a longer digital audit for many.
Background on ESTA and the Visa Waiver Program
The Visa Waiver Program lets citizens of certain countries travel without a visa for brief stays, but it rests on advance permission through ESTA.
- Since 2016,
ESTAhas asked an optional question about social media. That move drew criticism but did not require an answer. - The new Federal Register proposal would:
- Make social media disclosure mandatory
- Expand the list of data fields (usernames, platforms, old accounts across five years)
People would need to recall usernames, platforms, and old accounts across five years, which can be difficult for anyone who has switched phones or lost access to profiles.
Concerns over biometrics and large data collection
The biometric list in the proposal goes beyond the selfies many apps already ask for. It includes fingerprints and DNA alongside contact history (phone numbers and email addresses).
- Privacy groups warn:
- Large collections of personal data can be misused or breached
- It’s unclear why a short‑term visitor should provide data resembling what some immigrants provide in long‑term cases
- Supporters argue:
- Identity checks work better with more data
- More data helps spot impostors and enhance security
CBP has said the purpose of screening is security at the border.
How to respond and the timeline
For now, the change remains a proposal. The public comment window runs until February 9, 2026, giving airlines, rights groups, and ordinary travelers time to object or support it.
🔔 ESTA approval does not guarantee entry. Be prepared to explain posts or profiles if asked, and avoid last‑minute changes to your digital footprint that could raise doubts during inspection.
- The notice was published December 10, 2025.
- It targets applicants from 42 countries in the visa‑waiver list.
- According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, the draft fits a broader trend of asking travelers for more digital identifiers at more points of the trip — from online applications to in‑person border checks.
People who feel strongly can search the Federal Register docket and send comments under their own names before the window closes.
Practical takeaways for travelers
- Remember:
ESTAapproval does not guarantee entry. CBP officers at a port of entry make the final call after inspection. - Legal advice commonly recommends consistency:
- Keep your social media apps on the device
- Avoid last‑minute deletions that look suspicious
- Be ready to answer questions about a post or a contact
Some people choose to travel with fewer devices, but the source material focused on not erasing digital footprints in panic. As debate over the proposal grows, the stress of arrival may rise for many visa‑free visitors soon.
A December 2025 Federal Register proposal would expand ESTA requirements for 42 Visa Waiver Program countries, mandating five years of social media history plus biometrics (selfies, fingerprints, DNA) and extended contact records. CBP already inspects devices at borders, and deleting apps can trigger suspicion. Public comments close February 9, 2026. Immigration lawyers advise travelers to keep accounts intact, use privacy settings, and avoid last‑minute deletions to minimize delays or denials at ports of entry.
