The US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has denied viral reports claiming that a Norwegian tourist was denied entry to the United States over a JD Vance meme found on his phone. In a post shared on the social media platform X, the US agency revealed the real reason behind Mads Mikkelsen’s detainment.
For some context
Mads Mikkelsen, a 21-year-old Norwegian tourist, told Norwegian news outlet Nordlys that he landed at Newark Airport in New Jersey on June 11. He claimed that he was detained and put in a cell and authorities eventually searched his phone, where they found two images, one featuring US Vice President JD Vance, that became the reason for the trouble.
“They threatened me with a minimum fine of $5,000 or five years in prison if I refused to provide the password to my phone,” he alleged.
One photo showed Vance sporting a bald, egg-shaped head that went viral in March. The other was a photo of Mikkelsen featuring a wooden pipe he crafted ages ago.
What US authorities say
The US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) took to X to clarify that Mikkelsen possessing a JD Vance meme on his phone was not the reason he was denied entry to the US. Instead, they attributed it to his admitted drug use.
“Mads Mikkelsen was not denied entry for any memes or political reasons, it was for his admitted drug use,” the CBP posted.
The US agency was responding to a screenshot of a Daily Mail article headlined, “Norwegian tourist, 21, is barred from entering the US after ICE guards find meme showing JD Vance with a bald head on his phone”.
Mads Mikkelsen’s account of events
While speaking to Norwegian media, Mikkelsen claimed that he was detained at Newark and asked a volley of questions.
“They asked questions about drug trafficking, terrorist plots and right-wing extremism totally without reason,” he said. “They took me to a room with several armed guards, where I had to hand over my shoes, mobile phone and backpack.”
Mikkelsen said that US immigration authorities demanded full details of his travel plans and information about everyone he was going to meet.
Eventually, he says, he was threatened with a $5000 fine unless he agreed to disclose his phone password.
