BURSTTwitch streamer Hasan Piker said he was detained by Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport after returning from Paris.
“Everything I've done is fully protected under the First Amendment, okay, and none of these questions are actually valid questions to ask, but I was entertaining it because I didn't want it,” Piker, who streams under the name HasanAbi, said during a Monday video.
“One, I didn't want to present it as being difficult, because I didn't want to extend the attention. And two, I actually wanted to see how far I could take it,” Piker, who noted he is a U.S. citizen who’s registered for the Global Entry program that expedites clearance for pre-approved, low-risk travelers upon arrival in the U.S., added.
Piker said the line of questioning when he was detained on Sunday ranged from his thoughts on foreign terrorist organizations to his opinion of the Trump administration.
“I saw no reason to hold back on certain things. So I said, I don't like Trump. What are you going to do? It's protected by the First Amendment. I don't like Trump,” he told viewers on the stream.
Piker said he believes he was targeted by the CBP due to his public views on the president.
“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", Tricia McLaughlin, Homeland Security assistant secretary, said in a statement to The Hill.
"Upon entering the country, this individual was referred for further inspection — a routine, lawful process that occurs daily, and can apply for any traveler. Once his inspection was complete, he was promptly released.”
The Trump administration is facing several court battles for detaining individuals with legal status who have voiced opposition to the war in Hamas and their support for Palestine's recognition as a sovereign state.
Piker said he believes the goal of the Trump administration is to "prosecute speech" despite protections in the First Amendment.