Good idea not to carry your regular personal electronics, when crossing into the US, if you have any reason for concern. A burner phone, from Wal-Mart, will do the job, and a clean laptop, for business, makes sense.
TSA is not who checks those Entering the United States, and I expect Entry exams, when they choose to look through a phone or laptop, are less casual, if they find things to give reason to search further for CP, and more.
CBP rules differ, will say 'may differ' as I am not entirely briefed, and that is who the story described, during the journalist's entry to the US from Mexico.