A 21-year-old Norwegian tourist says he was denied entry to the United States after immigration officers at Newark Airport found a meme of US Vice President JD Vance on his phone.
Mads Mikkelsen told Norwegian outlet Nordlys that he was detained upon arrival to the US on June 11 in addition to being questioned by border control about drug trafficking and extremism who then ordered him to unlock his phone.
He says officers threatened him with a $5,000 fine or five years in prison if he refused to comply. Once inside the device, agents reportedly discovered a meme depicting JD Vance with an exaggerated bald, egg-shaped head.
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Shortly after, Mikkelsen was informed that he would not be permitted to enter the country and was flown back to Norway the same day. He described the incident as an “abuse of power and harassment” and claimed there was no explanation for the decision beyond the content found on his phone.
While US officials have not issued a public statement about Mikkelsen’s case, the incident has drawn attention online, with many questioning the balance between border security and freedom of expression for visitors.
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