A lot of companies (US and foreign) will send encrypted laptop computers with employees going to the US, and the employees don't get the key. The key will be provided over the phone when, and only when, they arrive at their destination (usually a customer site), and if everything at that time is ok. This is simply to avoid having company intellectual property stolen (because that's what a copy will do). It's not contempt or lying to an officer if you really don't have the key, and even if you called home from the airport you wouldn't get one. This has been quite common for the last decade at least.