(José Niño, Headline USA) Popular leftist commentator Hasan Piker faced hours of questioning by U.S. border officials, allegedly over his outspoken criticism of Israel’s Gaza policies.
On Monday, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents questioned Piker at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport, sparking accusations of political targeting.
The incident occurred as Piker, a U.S. citizen and vocal critic of Israeli policies in Gaza, returned from a trip to France.
NEWS: Hasan Piker Detained, Interrogated by U.S. Customs Over Political Views
Twitch streamer and political commentator Hasan Piker (@hasanthehun) was detained for several hours by U.S. Customs and Border Protection at Chicago O’Hare on May 11 after returning from France. Agents… pic.twitter.com/pS6wsCZyi9
— Drop Site (@DropSiteNews) May 12, 2025
Officials questioned him about his views on President Donald Trump, Hamas, and Middle Eastern militant groups such as Hamas, according to a report by The Rolling Stone.
Piker, who was enrolled in the Global Entry program for expedited border crossings, was pulled aside for additional screening despite his citizenship.
In a livestream, he described being escorted to a detention area where agents grilled him on his political views.
They began by probing his opinions on Donald Trump and his criticisms of the administration. The interrogation then shifted to his views on various militant groups, including Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis, with agents asking if he supported any of them.
His characterization of Hamas as a “resistance group” rather than a terrorist organization also came under scrutiny. Finally, the agents focused on his coverage of Israel’s military actions in Gaza, which he has repeatedly condemned as “genocide.”
Piker asserted the questioning aimed to extract “something incriminating. He added that “they knew exactly who I was,” per a report by The Truthout.
The popular Twitch streamer refused to recant his views, stating, “Everything I’ve done is protected under the First Amendment.”
“This is nothing but lying for likes. Claims that his political beliefs triggered the inspection are baseless,” Tricia McLaughlin, U.S. Department of Homeland Security assistant secretary, declared in a statement in response to Piker’s allegations. “Once his inspection was complete, he was promptly released.”
With 2.8 million Twitch followers, 1.5 million followers on Twitter, and 1.6 million YouTube subscribers, Piker has become a leading voice in online leftist discourse.
By tapping into his large online following, Piker’s ordeal could galvanize further debate on civil liberties and United States policy toward Israel.
José Niño is the deputy editor of Headline USA. Follow him at x.com/JoseAlNino
