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Man 'banned from US for life' after border control see JD Vance meme on his phone

On June 11, 21-year-old Norwegian tourist Mads Mikkelsen was detained and sent back from Newark Airport after U.S. agents found a meme mocking JD Vance on his phone.
This event occurred amidst heightened U.S. border scrutiny under the Trump administration and new visa rules requiring social media account reviews, which Irish officials called regrettable and inappropriate.
Mikkelsen described being strip-searched with force, fingerprinted, having blood taken, held for five hours, and interrogated about drug trafficking, terrorism, and extremism without clear cause.
He reported officers threatening a $5,000 fine or five years imprisonment for refusing phone access, and said he endured harassment and abuse of power before being returned to Norway that day.
The incident highlights tensions over U.S. immigration practices affecting travelers’ rights and expression, prompting Irish leaders to express concern but acknowledging limits in influencing U.S. border policies.

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404media.co

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'My Bad:' Babyface Vance Meme Creator On Norwegian Tourist's Detainment

404 Media spoke to Dave McNamee, the original creator of the babyface Vance meme, about free speech, our rights, and how it feels to see the thing you created being blamed for someone's denial of entry to the U.S.

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Jalopnik

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Norwegian Tourist Detained By ICE Then Sent Home From Newark Airport For Having Bald JD Vance Meme On His Phone

Before being sent back to Norway, the tourist was strip-searched, fingerprinted, had his blood taken and was left in holding for five hours.

10 days ago

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RollingStone

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J.D. Vance Memes Are Back Thanks to Disputed Border Control Incident

Immigration authorities had to deny reports that a tourist was sent home for having an edited image of the vice president on his phone.

10 days ago·Los Angeles, United States

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Distractify

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U.S. Entry Ban for Norwegian Student Allegedly Sparked by JD Vance Meme on Phone

A Norwegian student was allegedly denied U.S. entry after a JD Vance meme was found on his phone, sparking debate over digital privacy.

11 days ago

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Liberation

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Has a Norwegian Tourist Really Been Evicted From the United States because of a Joke About J.D. Vance?

Several media reported that a young Norwegian had been denied entry because of a parody of the vice president found on his phone, a version contested by US customs.

11 days ago·Paris, France

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