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About two weeks ago, a Norwegian tourist
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named Mads Mikkelson, who is not to be
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confused with a Danish actor from the
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James Bond and Marvel movies, landed in
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New York airport. On arrival, he was
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detained by immigration agents who
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demanded access to his cell phone and
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then denied him entry to the US. As one
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Norwegian news outlet which spoke to him
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reports, quote, "Micholson says that
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after being warned he could face a fine
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or even prison, he gave immigration
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officers the pin code to his phone. He
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was then confronted with its contents,
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pictures the officers found
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questionable. In particular, a meme of
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US Vice President JD Vance portrayed as
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bald and a private photo of a pipe.
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Specifically, Mickelson says the
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immigration officials objected to this
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viral meme of the vice president
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depicting him as a bald baby. This and
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hundreds like it are all over the
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internet as some of our viewers may have
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seen. Now, US Customs and Border
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Protection has responded to these
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allegations. They say Mickelson was not
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denied entry to the United States
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because of this meme you can see on your
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screen. CBP says that it was over quote
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his admitted drug use. Mickelson says
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that he told the agents he smoked
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marijuana exactly twice in his life.
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Once in Germany, once in New Mexico. But
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not everyone seems to believe that
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explanation. And if anything, suspected
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censorship of the Vance meme may have
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brought even more attention to it, which
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can happen in cases like this.
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Yesterday, Democratic Senator Ron Weiden
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of Oregon shared the viral meme of Vice
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President JD Vance on social media. And
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in fact, that meme, the one you're
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looking at right here, even made its way
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to the floor of Irish Parliament.
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We're watching a major incursion on
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freedom of expression, unthinkable in a
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Western democracy. This week, a young
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Norwegian tourist detained by ICE at New
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York airport and sent back to Oslo. Why?
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He had this meme on his phone, Minister,
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a meme depicting Vice President JD Vance
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as a baby. I mean, extraordinary,
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extraordinary that a young person with
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this amusing meme on their phone
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depicting a public person that this
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would be used as an excuse to detain him
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for 5 hours and then deport him back to
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Again, DHS and CBP deny that's the
2:27
reason. But you know, just in case they
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are not telling us the full story here,
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please, dear viewers, I hope you take
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appropriate precautions. I strongly
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recommend that you do not try to cross
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the border with this meme on your phone
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or this meme or this meme or this one.
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Um, there is absolutely nothing funny
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about having any of these on your phone.
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We are just looking out for your own
