Hasan Piker details being detained by ICE agents upon re-entry in US
Popular Twitch streamer and political commentator Hasan Piker, known online as HasanAbi, says he was detained and questioned by US border agents for nearly two hours at Chicago O’Hare International Airport on Sunday after returning from Paris.
Piker, a U.S. citizen and prominent left-wing voice with over 2.8 million Twitch followers, said Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers took him aside despite his enrollment in Global Entry — a program designed to expedite entry for “pre-approved, low-risk” travelers.
He alleges agents questioned him extensively about his political views, opinion of President Donald Trump, and whether he had ties to foreign militant groups.
“They knew who I was and they were ready to receive me... and it wasn’t a very warm welcome,” Piker said during a livestream on Monday.
Twitch streamer Hasan Piker confirms that the Trump Administration has been monitoring him for some time.
They detained him at the airport and asked him about his Twitch bans and his anti-Trump coverage.💀 pic.twitter.com/bj4AKeQ4YzPiker described the interaction as cordial but invasive, detailing questions related to Hamas, the Houthis, and Hezbollah, as well as his stance on Israel’s war in Gaza.
He said he responded by affirming that he does not support any terrorist organization, and expressed his general opposition to war.
“Every time he asked a leading question about Hamas, I kept saying: the US State Department recognizes Hamas as a terrorist organization,” Piker said.
According to Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin, Piker’s detention was “a routine, lawful process”, not influenced by political views. “Our officers are following the law, not agendas,” she stated.
However, Piker believes his detainment was politically motivated, especially in light of the Trump administration’s increasing scrutiny of critics and pro-Palestinian voices.
The incident follows similar reports involving green-card holders and US citizens who have expressed views critical of US foreign policy or Trump’s governance.
During questioning, Piker said he was asked about his public stance on Trump, to which he replied:
“I don’t like Trump. It’s protected by the First Amendment. He said he’d end the wars. He hasn’t.”
Following his release, Piker said he was given a document with instructions to file a redress complaint through the DHS Traveler Redress Inquiry Program.
Legal experts and civil rights advocates have raised concerns about growing reports of political profiling at US ports of entry.
As Trump’s second term sees heightened immigration enforcement and expanded surveillance powers, activists warn that freedom of expression may face renewed threats.
Piker, who continues to stream regularly and comment on global politics, said he does not intend to stop voicing his opinions:
“I’m going to use the privilege that I have to try and see what they’re doing. Because I’m an American citizen — this is my birthright.”
the dhs response is so funny cus they’re not even disputing that it happened, they’re omitting the insane questions that were asked, & instead claiming that i wasn’t targeted for my political beliefs. why’d y’all ask me about trump, israel, houthis, hamas and my twitch bans then? pic.twitter.com/xfHQj6mMpH