According to new figures released by Customs and Border Patrol, the number of electronic devices searched at the border has jumped by five times between 2015 and 2016. Device searches this year appear to be well on pace to exceed last year’s totals as well.

However, when compared with the total number of people arriving into the United States, such searches remain exceedingly rare.

Robert Brisley, a CBP spokesman based in Atlanta, sent Ars a lengthy statement detailing the agency’s policy regarding such searches.

It reads:

In [fiscal year 2016], CBP processed more than 390 million arrivals and performed 23,877 electronic media searches. This equates to CBP performing an electronic search on 0.0061% of arrivals. This is an increase over the FY15 numbers when 4,764 electronic media searches were conducted, accounting for .0012% of arrivals. CBP officers processed 383 million arrivals in [fiscal year 2015]. Fewer travelers underwent secondary processing and electronic media searches in February 2017 compared to February 2016. The number of people found inadmissible to the United States was also lower in February 2017 compared to February 2016.

NBC recently reported that this year is on pace to be a "blockbuster year" for border searches of electronic devices. According to the news outlet, 5,000 "devices were searched in February alone, more than in all of 2015."

Brisley declined further comment. He referred follow-up questions to the Department of Homeland Security, Border Patrol's parent agency, which has not responded to Ars’ request for comment.

As Ars reported previously, there is a very broad exception to the Fourth Amendment at the border that allows officials to conduct warrantless searches. If your device is locked or encrypted and you refuse to assist agents’ attempts to open it, the device can be seized.

Nathan Freed Wessler, an attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union, said he has no idea why there has been such an uptick in such searches. He e-mailed: