# Immigration advocate sues to seek deletion of phone data

_Published Thursday, October 1, 2026 at 8:47 AM EDT · Policy · Latest · Tier 2 — Notable_

![Immigration advocate sues to seek deletion of phone data — Primary](https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/GettyImages-2288940295-2560x1440.jpg)

Writer and immigration advocate Thomas Kennedy has sued the federal government, seeking deletion of data he believes border agents copied from his phone when he re-entered the United States earlier this month.

His complaint says a Customs and Border Protection agent at Miami International Airport demanded the phone and threatened prolonged questioning and indefinite retention if he refused. Kennedy says the agent returned it after approximately 45 minutes, and he was released without charges.

Kennedy says the phone contains sensitive personal and professional information. His claim that agents copied its data rests on his belief about what happened while they held it.

## Sources

- [arstechnica.com](https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/09/immigration-advocate-sues-border-agents-for-demanding-his-cell-phone/)

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Canonical: https://techandbusiness.org/newswire/qKVFnZVM5cQ5GOeXfEgHfk
Published: 2026-10-01T12:47:04.736Z
Story chronology: 2026-09-30T21:19:56.000Z
Retrieved: 2026-10-01T15:24:21.427Z
Publisher: Tech & Business (techandbusiness.org)