Hasan Piker, a prominent Twitch political commentator, shared his experience of being stopped and questioned by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport after returning from France. Known online as HasanAbi, Piker, who has a substantial following across various platforms, reported that he was detained for about two hours and questioned on his political views, including his stance on Donald Trump and whether he had any contacts with groups like Hamas or Hezbollah.
During a live stream, Piker described the encounter as an unsettling experience meant to instill fear in individuals with unconventional political views. He highlighted the recent trend of people sharing similar experiences of being interrogated upon returning to the U.S., expressing concerns about increased scrutiny at entry points.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) responded to his claims by downplaying the significance of his questioning, with Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin asserting that it was a routine inspection process, not politically motivated. However, Piker disputed this, questioning why a “lawful routine inspection” would involve inquiries about political opinions.
Emphasizing his rights as a U.S. citizen, Piker pushed back against the questioning and noted that his mere political opinions should not subject him to excessive scrutiny. He criticized CBP for potentially misusing resources and called attention to the need for focusing on actual threats rather than questioning citizens about their beliefs. Using his platform, Piker aimed to shed light on these interactions, indicating that he would leverage his influence to address these issues publicly.
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