Hasan Piker Was Apparently Detained for Hours by U.S. Customs at the Airport

Following the news that Hasan Piker was detained and questioned for hours by U.S. Customs after returning to the United States, many wanted to know more about the Twitch streamer, who is one of the top political voices on the platform.

Hasan's open hatred for the Trump administration and his left-leaning views could have made him a target for the administration. Here's what we know about whether he's a U.S. citizen.

It's worth saying that all people, citizens and non-citizens alike, deserve fair treatment inside the United States. That being said, Hasan is a U.S. citizen, and he even brought that fact up when he was detained, in part because he was asked about his political beliefs. He was detained at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport after returning from a trip to France.

Hasan said that he was questioned for about two hours about his political views, including his views on Donald Trump and his opposition to Israel's continued presence in the Gaza Strip. He was even asked whether he had any ties to Hamas or Hezbollah.

“Obviously, the reason for why they’re doing that is, I think, to try to create an environment of fear for people like myself or, at least others who would be in my shoes who don’t have the same level of security, to shut the f--k up,” Hasan said.

He described the entire experience in a livestream after the fact, and his story comes amid a flurry of similar stories flooding social media. A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security suggested that Hasan was simply "lying for likes."

“Claims that his political beliefs triggered the inspection are baseless,” Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement.

“Our officers are following the law, not agendas," the statement continued, per NBC News. "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.”

For his part, Hasan still believes that he was detained specifically because of his beliefs, and his desire to speak about them in public.

“What part of a 'lawful routine inspection' requires DHS to question me about my political views, my opinions on Donald Trump, or my stance on Israel and Palestine?” Hasan said in a statement to NBC News. “The agent was cordial, but the experience, along with reports of other Americans facing similar questioning, seems intended to create a chilling effect on speech."

"As a taxpayer, I believe CBP agents should be focusing on actual threats, like preventing agricultural risks or combatting trafficking, not interrogating people about their political beliefs," he continued.

Thankfully, Hasan was released after questioning, but experiences like that or undoubtedly terrifying for anyone involved in them. We obviously don't know exactly why he was detained, but his public status does make the story suspicious.