Originally Posted by
bornatsea
deliberately destroying/disabliing the chip on the US passport is a crime, isn't it?
the passport is US government property. if you get a CBP officer who's having a bad day, he/she may have you arrested for destroying US government property!

there going to have to prove the person did it intentionally, and i know not many people are going to admit that. plus in any batch of chips your going to have a certain percentage that will fail over time.