Overview

• On June 11 at Newark Airport, 21-year-old Norwegian tourist Mads Mikkelsen was detained after officers discovered a meme mocking Vice President JD Vance on his phone.
• He faced questioning about drug trafficking, terrorist plots and right-wing extremism and was threatened with a fine or prison if he refused to unlock his device before being deported the same day.
• On June 12, Australian writer Alistair Kitchen was held for 12 hours during a layover at Los Angeles International Airport and denied entry over his views on pro-Palestinian campus protests.
• The Department of Homeland Security has denied that Kitchen was refused entry because of his political beliefs.
• Civil liberties groups are calling for clearer guidelines on digital device searches to prevent arbitrary denials and protect free speech at U.S. borders.