[brcmthrowaway]

If you are on H1b, buy a burner phone before you leave and enter the country. Should he fine.

[tacticalturtle]

If they’re checking phones, having a burner phone with no or few contacts seems like a great way to arouse suspicion at the border.

[tzs]

Anyone returning to the US necessarily had to earlier leave the US for some other country or countries.

If you are asked upon returning the US why you have a burner phone with few contacts say that it is because you didn't trust one or more of those other countries.

[mixmastamyk]

A newly purchased phone is not a problem.

[downrightmike]

And just smash it

[OccamsMirror]

Assuming they let you back in.