If you have a VeraCrypt partition that they can detect, it makes you look like a spy. Lots of random data in unused sectors on your hard drive is a bad look if you're trying to convince the border agent you're not a spy.
If you have a plain old laptop with some mildly embarrassing information on it that's not encrypted, you might still be a spy, but they wouldn't be able to tell from the laptop itself.
If you have a VeraCrypt partition that they can detect, it makes you look like a spy. Lots of random data in unused sectors on your hard drive is a bad look if you're trying to convince the border agent you're not a spy.
If you have a plain old laptop with some mildly embarrassing information on it that's not encrypted, you might still be a spy, but they wouldn't be able to tell from the laptop itself.