US border guards found “forbidden” memes on a tourist from Norway.
Norwegian tourist Mads Mikkelsen said he was denied entry to the United States because of a joke meme with Vice President J.D. Vance. The incident occurred on June 11 at Newark Liberty Airport.
Time writes about this.
According to Mikkelsen, ICE officers asked him to enter the password to his phone or face a fine of up to $5,000 or five years in prison. After granting access, they saw a Vance meme and a photo of a homemade wooden pipe found on the phone. The Norwegian was then returned to Norway.
The Americans explained a different motive: CBP customs officials denied that the meme or politics were the reason for the refusal. According to the official version, the reason was Mikkelsen’s admission of previous drug use. He also said that he was questioned about possible drug possession, involvement in terrorist plans or right-wing ideas, and that a blood sample was taken.
A spokesperson for the US Department of Homeland Security called the allegations “fake” and “vile fabrications,” stressing that the JD Vance meme had nothing to do with the decision to deny entry.
Let us recall that earlier we wrote about a man in the US who was accidentally deported to the worst prison in the world
