Except he wasn’t. Because they followed the law.

It’s not a legal process. It doesn’t involve courts.

You arrive at a border, show proof of citizenship, and they let you in.

It doesn’t even have to be a passport. It could be a state issued drivers license.

US citizens are not legally allowed to be kept out of the country.

Like, to the point where if you don’t have a copy of your passport they can’t keep you out, at least once you prove your identity.