Activist Charged After Phone Self-Destruct Feature Triggered During Border Search

Atlanta activist Samuel Tunick faces felony charges for typing a special password that erased his phone during a 2025 border search. The password is a built-in safety feature: it wipes the device as if someone stole it. Prosecutors say he destroyed evidence; his defense says the search was unlawful and nothing was on the phone. A conviction could make this common security feature illegal.