December 5, 2025
Phones, Fees, and Freakouts
I'm Peter Roberts, immigration attorney who does work for YC and startups. AMA
Immigration AMA erupts: border phone drama, H‑1B fee panic
TLDR: An immigration AMA devolved into a brawl over U.S. border phone searches—refuse the passcode and visitors risk denial, sparking citizen-rights debates. Added fuel: worries about H‑1B costs, social media vetting, and visa confusion, making this essential for anyone flying in or building a startup.
Peter Roberts, a startup-savvy immigration attorney, opened an AMA and the crowd immediately turned it into a border phone search cage match. One user asked what happens if airport officers demand your passcode. Roberts replied you can refuse—but expect denied entry if you’re not a citizen, which sent the thread into a civil liberties spiral. Cue the chorus: some shouted “they can’t deny citizens,” others snapped back “they can arrest you,” and a third chimed in “not for your phone,” turning the comments into a constitutional tug-of-war. Links flew to EFF’s digital privacy guide and ACLU rights pages, while a practical crowd suggested burner phones—instantly roasted by a warning that officers might ask why you left your “real” phone at home.
Meanwhile, anxiety spiked over a rumored $100K H‑1B fee and who wins or loses under new visa rules. Founders confessed they’d avoid applying to YC on H‑1B; Roberts offered a calm “there are multiple visas,” but commenters wanted receipts. Elsewhere: UK travelers are B‑1 vs ESTA confused, a Delaware LLC owner has spent a decade paying fees without a bank account, and social media vetting creeping into work visas lit up the “privacy vs screening” debate. The vibe? Phones, fees, and freakouts, with a side of meme energy about CBP outlasting your layover.
Key Points
- •Roberts reports he has not observed hiring changes attributable to Section 174 amortization rules from his perspective as an immigration attorney.
- •Refusing to unlock a phone at the U.S. border is within one’s rights, but non-citizens risk denial of admission by CBP if they refuse, per Roberts.
- •Commenters noted U.S. citizens and green card holders cannot be denied entry, citing ACLU resources; foreign visitors have fewer rights per EFF guidance.
- •Border agents can hold devices, and carrying a “burner” phone may draw scrutiny, according to commenters in the AMA.
- •Roberts states multiple visa options exist that allow participation in accelerators and training programs, without specifying which visas.