Border goons detain US citizen for having an opinion

Welcome to Trump's America, where government agencies detain US citizens to question them about constitutionally protected speech.

As reported in UserMag, CBP agents detained Hasan Piker — a popular progressive streamer and a New Jersey-born US citizen — when he flew back from France this weekend. The authorities in Chicago questioned him for two hours about his political views, Twitch bans, and his interviews while abroad.

In his YouTube video, Piker recounted the experience of being "tactically ascertained and engaged in a kinetic situation where I was kinetically moved into a detention center inside of the O'Hare airport."

Upon reaching the Global Entry line, where others were being processed quickly, he was immediately pulled aside after his photo was taken. He was told to "Step aside, sir. An agent will come and take you to another location."

He was taken to a detention area within the airport where he observed other "terrified families" and an elderly lady in a wheelchair. He noted that he was the only American citizen in that specific area. After some time, he was taken to a "back room" which he described as being "designed in the most hostile way I have ever been inside of a room." This room had metal seats "firmly planted into the ground" with braces for handcuffing.

He described the subsequent conversation with a CBP agent as "very cordial," which he found strange given his past interactions with law enforcement. He suspected the cordiality was an interrogation tactic to get him to say something incriminating. He believed the agents knew exactly who he was.

The agent asked about his purpose in Chicago (a speaking engagement at the University of Chicago journalism school) and his occupation (Twitch streamer). The questions then shifted to his streams, asking if he discussed current events, drama, the internet, and specifically "the news." The agent then inquired about "the war" and "Trump." Piker found these questions unusual, stating, "I literally straight up told him, 'Why are you asking me this? What does this have to do with anything?'"

Piker chose to answer the questions rather than pleading the Fifth or requesting a lawyer immediately, explaining, "I wanted to see what would happen… I wanted to actually see this experience." He was also "profoundly privileged" as a public figure with resources, which he intended to use to "see what they're doing."

He openly expressed his position on Trump, saying, "I don't like Trump" and discussing his views on the wars. He felt the agent seemed sympathetic, though he was unsure if this was genuine or a technique.

Piker believes the primary reason for his detention and questioning was an investigation into his suspected "involvement with Hamas and my involvement with the Houthis and my involvement with Hezbollah." He stated that this was "literally what this conversation was about" and "it's not even a joke."

The agent posed leading questions such as, "Do you like Hamas?," "Do you support Hamas?," and "Do you think Hamas is a terrorist group or a resistance group?" Piker's response to these questions was consistent: "I'm on the side of civilians. I want the endless bloodshed to end. I am a pacifist. I want wars to end." He also repeatedly cited the official US government position: "The United States State Department recognizes Hamas as a terrorist organization." Regarding the Houthi designation, he referenced the "Brookings Institute mindset" that designating them as a terror organization was a "major mistake." He also mentioned agreeing with Trump's implementation of a ceasefire with the Houthis.

The conversation then turned to "actionable items," including questions about whether he had ever contacted members of Hamas, the Houthis, or Hezbollah (directly or indirectly), or if he had provided them financial or logistical support. The questioning about potential interviews with members of these groups struck Piker as "insane" and "ridiculous," arguing that such inquiries violate prior restraint and legitimate journalistic practices. He noted that U.S. officials, including Donald Trump, have had contact with these groups.

When Piker finally asked, "Am I being detained?" the interview effectively ended. The entire encounter lasted approximately two hours.

He received a DHS TRIP document explaining how to inquire about the reason for his detention. Piker believes his detention was related to his role as a political commentator on American foreign policy, which he intends to continue. He views the government's actions as an attempt to "create an environment of fear, to try to get people like myself… to shut up." He considers the government's actions a "direct violation of the First Amendment" and shared his experience to inform others about these practices and encourage them to know their rights.

"They wanted to put the fear of god into me," Piker concluded, "not knowing that I'm a stubborn piece of s**t and that's not going to work at all."

Lawyer Alex Peter provided context: "DHS flagging and detaining one of the U.S.'s largest left-wing voices for their political opinions while the Trump admin suggests they might suspend habeas corpus does not portend well for the future."

Previously:
Hackers stole a US Customs and Border Patrol facial recognition database
Tracking fatal encounters with U.S. Customs and Border Patrol
Stop border agents from searching your phone: Wired explains
US Customs and Border Protection wants to ask for your 'online presence' at the border