
Stockton mayor forced to relinquish electronics and passwords to agents at SFO - chriskanan
http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2015/10/small-town-mayor-relinquishes-electronics-and-passwords-to-agents-at-sfo/
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scintill76
> Unfortunately, they were not willing or able to produce a search warrant or
> any court documents suggesting they had a legal right to take my property.
> In addition, they were persistent about requiring my passwords for all
> devices. [linked article]

> “Our priority is assuring the integrity of the investigative process and
> generally speaking we don't acknowledge that an investigation is underway
> ... unless or until charges are filed, arrests are made, or documents are
> publicly filed with the court that confirm a probe is taking place.”[1]

Wat? They can take your stuff without a court order, not even from a secret
court, and if they don't make any arrests or charges, they're not even
required to confirm or be accountable for what happened? I really hope this is
a case of a handful of idiots doing something unsanctioned that will be fully
and transparently corrected. If this is upheld as fully legal, how is this not
a mockery of basic rights? I'd expect this from a totalitarian state; what
does that say about the USA?

I can understand why DHS would feel national security is served by being able
to seize or detain without any justification before or afterward. It's awfully
convenient to forget about all that red tape. I don't understand how the
judiciary would uphold such a tradeoff of basic rights. (A comment[2] suggests
they won't.) They better _at least_ require a secret court to sign off if this
were to be 100% legal... it's sad that anyone accepts that, but it's better
than absolutely zero oversight.

A mayor, of all people! It's sad to think of all the less-powerful people
who've already had this happen, but at least a mayor should be able to get
some kind of resolution.

[1] [http://m.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Stockton-mayor-was-
brief...](http://m.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Stockton-mayor-was-briefly-
detained-on-return-6546419.php) [2] [http://arstechnica.com/tech-
policy/2015/10/small-town-mayor-...](http://arstechnica.com/tech-
policy/2015/10/small-town-mayor-relinquishes-electronics-and-passwords-to-
agents-at-sfo/?comments=1&post=29873637)

