When Alexander, an Asian research scientist at the top U.S. universities, was preparing to travel to Brazil for work, his preparations were unusual - he consulted his lawyer, brought in a burner phone, and had a blank laptop. After the work is done, he uploads the data to the cloud and cleans the machine before flying home. "I was advised to keep the data on my device," he said. It was "extremely disruptive."
As Donald Trump returns to the White House, many company executives, government officials in Europe and elsewhere are often approaching the United States with caution in high-risk jurisdictions such as China and some countries in the Middle East.
Stricter immigration enforcement and more aggressive border screenings, including searching and even copying data from travelers’ equipment, and sometimes even data that refuses to enter, are prompting organizations to reassess risks and protocols surrounding regular work travel. Immigration lawyers say contacts, emails, messages and social media posts may need to be checked.
Under the Trump administration, the number of border searches on January to mid-May has exceeded the number of people recorded in the first half of 2024, up 10% a year, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
Like others who contributed to this article, Alexander's request for anonymity due to security concerns also symbolizes this shift. "I am an immigrant, not a U.S. citizen, and am engaged in climate change, meeting stakeholders, like labor unions and scholars in Brazil, a country led by a left-wing government … all of which can be opposed to you," he said.
Officials at his university are cautious about potential opposition from the Trump administration that they will not provide legal aid if he has problems at the border and advise him not to leave the country. The legal counsel he hired personally sent a clear warning, telling him that the border agents were in: "Find me as a person and we will find the crime."
The uncertainty comes after Trump's January 20 order designed to provide additional review and screening procedures for foreigners seeking to enter the United States and those who already reside. It also lays the foundation for new travel restrictions and review of existing visas.
"Since 2021, CBP's search numbers have been consistent with the increase, and less than 0.01% of travelers have searched for search devices... It is wrong to claim that CBP searches for more electronic media due to government changes."
She said the search plays a "critical" national security role and "accusing political beliefs of triggering inspections or evacuation is groundless and irresponsible."
However, American universities, including Duke and Columbia, are those who advise international staff and students not to leave the country unless absolutely necessary. This has sparked confidence after a series of detention and deportation - even among those with valid visas or green cards.
Last month, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said pro-Palestinian activist and Columbia graduate Mahmoud Khalil, in particular because his “faith, statement or association” would undermine the interests of U.S. foreign policy.
The European Commission has released burner phones and basic laptops to some U.S.-bound employees to avoid the risk of espionage. The Financial Times reported that commissioners and senior officials who visited the IMF and the World Bank's spring meetings received new guidance last month.
The company is also taking action quickly: Many are seeking new legal advice for employees heading to work in the United States. Others are changing plans and in some cases advise not to travel.
Elizabeth Nanton, leader and partner of the U.S. immigration practice, said that while the vast majority of travelers have not encountered any problems, the company is preparing potential inquiries for employees in the U.S. and suggesting what to do when searching for devices. Clients ask “what might happen, what they expect”. She said several clients are reevaluating their IT policies to review the equipment that data personnel should carry.
Nanton added that no matter how many times a non-U.S. citizen has entered the country, companies should consider each case as a “new decision on acceptability.” She has been advising companies to provide travel to the United States with immigration experts.
Some companies are updating travel guidelines in the United States and are cautious about issuing specific directives, although they don’t want to attract the attention of Trump administration officials. A UK investor at a large asset manager said employees were told to be "very cautious" when bringing their personal phones into the U.S. "Are you telling me that your business trip to the United States is the same as going to China?" he said.
A New York-based pharmaceutical industry executive said some of the industry's big companies did not send people to the U.S., especially when they think they might be stopped at the border because of "brown, Muslim or China."
A London-based company executive said their company encourages employees to apply for global entry, and the plan accelerates the review of travelers’ border checks. Meanwhile, some U.S. technology companies urge foreign employees to carry a wide range of personal documents, including marriage certificates, lease agreements and payslips, to ease re-entry.
Online forums like Reddit are full of suggestions such as removing social media apps and avoiding storing anything politically sensitive to content on your phone.
Since the executive order on January 20, the UK and German governments have updated travel advice in stricter terms, warning citizens that even minor violations could lead to detention. "U.S. authorities strictly formulate and enforce entry rules. If the regulations are violated, you may be responsible for arrest or detention."
Lawyers for a British company with a U.S. business interest say that while these rules have always existed, they are now enforcing more regularly, which is why the UK and German authorities have adjusted their travel guidance.
"The odds (for any trouble) are still quite low," the lawyer said. "For everyday businesses, the focus is on digital devices. Federal authorities have long been able to capture, search and copy information on devices."
This shift begins to drip into business travel bookings. France-KLM and Lufthansa reported weaker demand for transatlantic routes from European passengers.
“There are clear slowdowns in bookings for business trips,” said Henry Harteveldt, a travel industry analyst.
“A variety of airlines told me that they saw a 'slight' or 'modest' slowdown in future business trip bookings, including both domestic and European and European directions.”
He said the reasons for doing so include weakening the economy, which often triggers cuts in business travel, "international business travelers' concerns about possible issues in entering the United States."
Harteveldt noted that “the attention to international inbound travel among company travel managers is obvious.”
Research scientist Alexander is already considering his preparations for his next business trip, this time in the UK. "I have to do the same thing again," he said.
Other reports by Hannah Kuchler and Philip Georgiadis