Renowned political commentator Hasan Piker, known for his left-leaning ideologies, recently claimed that his political beliefs led to his detention by the United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport.
Piker, who operates under the pseudonym HasanAbi, reported that he was intercepted by border patrol agents upon his return from Paris, preventing his re-entry into the country via Global Entry.
According to the Daily Mail, Piker, a U.S. citizen, stated that the agent's line of questioning began with inquiries about his profession. This then escalated into a discussion about the content he covers on his digital platforms, including his opinions on President Donald Trump. Piker expressed his surprise at the agent's interest in his views on Trump, stating, "That was the first time where I was like, 'What is this question?' I literally straight up told him, 'Why are you asking me this?'"
Despite his initial confusion, Piker did not shy away from expressing his disdain for Trump, boldly stating, "I dont like Trump. What are you going to do? Its protected by the First Amendment. I dont like Trump." He further emphasized his right to free speech, asserting, "Nothing I've done online is illegal as of now. Now laws may change in the future and they might actually start prosecuting speech, which I do fear is the goal of this administration. But so far, everything I've done is fully protected under the First Amendment."
In response to Piker's allegations, Tricia McLaughlin, Homeland Security assistant secretary, issued a statement to The Hill, dismissing the notion that Piker's political beliefs were the cause of his detention. McLaughlin stated, "This is nothing but lying for likes. Claims that his political beliefs triggered the inspection are baseless. Our officers are following the law, not agendas." She further clarified that Piker's inspection was a routine procedure that could apply to any traveler and that he was released promptly after the inspection was completed.
Piker, however, believes that the CBP's real motive for detaining him was to investigate his alleged connections to Middle Eastern terrorist organizations, including Hamas, the Houthis, and Hezbollah. While Piker denies any direct involvement with these groups, he faced criticism earlier this year for interviewing Rashid Al Haddad, a 19-year-old suspected member of the Houthis, a group designated as a terrorist organization by the U.S..
During the interview, Haddad, who bears a striking resemblance to American actor Timothe Chalamet, earning him the nickname 'Tim-Houthi Chalamet,' denied being a combatant for the Houthis. However, a subsequent image of Haddad brandishing an AK-47 rifle and his admission to being a soldier on Instagram raised eyebrows.
Piker reported that he was questioned about this incident specifically. He defended his actions, stating that the man he interviewed was not a Houthi but a regular Yemeni citizen. He further argued that even if he had interviewed a member of a terrorist group, it would be within his rights as a journalist.
Piker also revealed that the CBP agent persistently asked him whether he 'liked' or 'supported' Hamas and whether he viewed Hamas as a resistance group or a terrorist group. Piker responded by either expressing his support for civilians and his desire for an end to the violence or by acknowledging the State Department's classification of Hamas as a terrorist organization.
The agent then shifted the focus to the Houthis, questioning Piker on whether he agreed with their designation as terrorists. Piker responded, "I said I'm of the Brookings Institution mindset that in 2020 when Donald Trump initially designated the Houthis as a terror organization that that was a major mistake."
The Brookings Institution, a liberal think tank, did indeed argue that the Trump administration's decision to label the Houthis as terrorists was a mistake. Brookings analyst Gregory D. Johnsen wrote in November 2020, "Designating the Houthis would be bad for Yemeni civilians, bad for peace talks, and, ultimately, bad for U.S. national security."
Piker stated that the agent eventually "gave up" when he continued to assert that his online statements were protected by the First Amendment. The two-hour conversation abruptly ended when Piker asked if he was being detained and if he could leave freely. The incident raises questions about the extent to which political beliefs and public statements can influence routine procedures such as border inspections.
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