Two separate issues involving government surveillance powers are drawing attention as travelers face phone confiscations at airports and Congress approaches a deadline on foreign intelligence surveillance authority.

International travelers at U.S. airports, including American citizens, can have their phones confiscated by authorities even without apparent wrongdoing. Minnesota labor organizer Janette Zahia Corcelius experienced this when returning from a three-week European trip in late April, highlighting the challenges faced by travelers regarding electronic device searches at border crossings.

Meanwhile, Congress faces a June 12 deadline to reauthorize Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, with legislators appearing no closer to reaching an agreement. The section governs warrantless surveillance capabilities used by intelligence agencies.

Congress previously reauthorized Section 702 in late April, but only provided a temporary 45-day extension rather than a longer-term solution. This pattern reflects ongoing disagreements among lawmakers about the scope and oversight of government surveillance programs.

Both issues underscore broader tensions between national security concerns and civil liberties protections, as policymakers continue to grapple with the appropriate balance of government surveillance powers in the digital age.