Norwegian Tourist Denied U.S. Entry Over JD Vance Bald Meme
Mads Mikkelsen, a 21-year-old from Tromsø, Norway, faced denial of entry into the U.S. when Newark Airport border agents discovered a meme depicting Vice President JD Vance as bald on his phone. This incident underscores the heightened digital inspections travelers now encounter, raising questions like 'Can border agents search your phone?' and 'What are my rights during a device search?' Mikkelsen recounted, 'I felt completely devastated and broke down, and was close to crying several times.'
Following the meme's discovery, Mikkelsen underwent a strip search, was detained for five hours without food or water, and was subsequently deported to Oslo. This event highlights the increasing scrutiny of travelers' digital content, prompting concerns about privacy and the extent of border control powers. As Mikkelsen noted, 'I felt prejudiced, suspected and simply humiliated even then, in front of many other people at the airport.'
In fiscal year 2024, U.S. Customs and Border Protection conducted 47,047 electronic device searches, affecting less than 0.01% of arriving passengers, yet incidents like Mikkelsen's raise significant privacy concerns.
