DHS official alleged Samuel Tunick was a terrorism suspect; court records show CBP later cited child abuse material
Overview
Court records show a DHS official flagged Samuel Tunick as a suspected terrorist before he was stopped at Atlanta airport in January 2025.
According to 404 Media, which reports DHS said it searched Tunick for child abuse material, CBP officials during the interrogation said they needed his phone for that reason. Tunick denied it. His lawyers argue the child abuse material accusation was a pretext for a fishing expedition, and that the search was not a legitimate basis for the stop.
Tunick, a Stop Cop City activist, faces up to five years in federal prison for allegedly wiping his GrapheneOS phone.
Written by AI from the articles below · updated Oct 20, 12:54 PM ET
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The articles in this story. Times are ET.
- 404 MediaNewsDHS said it searched a man who wiped his GrapheneOS phone for child abuse material, but records show it lied
AICourt records filed by Samuel Tunick's lawyers show a DHS email flagged him for suspected terrorist activities before his January 2025 airport stop in Atlanta. During the interrogation, CBP officials said they needed his phone to look for child abuse material, which Tunick denied. His lawyers argue the accusations were a pretext for a fishing expedition, and Tunick faces up to five years in federal prison for allegedly wiping the phone.
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