Story highlights Rand Paul, Ron Wyan and other privacy advocates introduced the bill to stop searches of electronic devices

Currently, authorities have broad powers to search electronic devices at the border

Washington (CNN) A new bipartisan bill would prevent Americans' electronic devices from being searched at the border without a warrant, a response to an increase in such electronic searches.

The bill was introduced Tuesday by a pair of Republican and Democratic lawmakers in the House and Senate. Privacy hawks Sens. Ron Wyden, a Democrat from Oregon, and Rand Paul, a Republican from Kentucky, introduced it in the Senate, and Reps. Jared Polis, a Democrat from Colorado, and Blake Farenthold, a Republican from Texas, sponsored it in the House.

The bill would require a warrant before agents could search Americans' phones, laptops and other devices at entries to the US, including airports and border crossings.

"Americans' constitutional rights shouldn't disappear at the border," Wyden said in a statement. "By requiring a warrant to search Americans' devices and prohibiting unreasonable delay, this bill makes sure that border agents are focused on criminals and terrorists instead of wasting their time thumbing through innocent Americans' personal photos and other data."

Currently, authorities have broad powers to search electronic devices at the border. Courts have long held that specifically at ports of entry, travelers including Americans have little privacy protections.

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