Activist charged with felony after giving border agent "duress code" that wiped his phone
Summary
Samuel Tunick, an activist returning to the US, was asked by border agents to unlock his Pixel phone but used a special security feature that erased all data instead. He now faces federal charges for destroying property to avoid seizure during a border inspection.Key Facts
- Tunick was returning to the US in early 2025 after a trip abroad.
- Customs agents wanted to search his Google Pixel phone running GrapheneOS, a privacy-focused software.
- Tunick used a built-in "duress code" that erases all data on the phone to prevent access.
- He is charged with a felony for knowingly destroying property to prevent it from being seized.
- The government said the phone search was a routine border inspection looking for illegal content.
- Tunick’s lawyers claim he was targeted because of his activism against a law enforcement training facility called Cop City.
- Tunick was denied legal counsel despite requesting it during the interrogation.
- If convicted, Tunick could face up to five years in prison.
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