[tsaoutourpants]

Respectfully, you are mistaken. Private airlines are "common carriers" and are required to play nice with the public, and you're conflating "whether the private carrier wouldn't want to take you" with "whether US CBP wants to see the contents of your laptop."

I actually filed suit over the former back in 2015. AA told me they wouldn't let me fly home unless I answered their "security questions." The case was resolved quickly when everyone (AA and DHS) did an about-face and said whoever told me I wouldn't be allowed to fly was mistaken.

https://professional-troublemaker.com/2015/02/23/corbett-sue...

The US may not refuse entry to its own citizens, even if they insist on remaining silent. They can detain you to be searched on arrival, but they must, after completing that search, admit you to the country.