FILE - In this Feb. 11, 2015, file photo, ground traffic is seen from the control tower at O’Hare International Airport in Chicago. (AP Photo/M. Spencer Green File)
Popular Turkish American online political commentator detained, questioned at Chicago airport
CHICAGO (AP) 鈥 A popular Turkish American online streamer who is critical of President Donald Trump was recently detained and questioned at O鈥橦are International Airport after his flight from Paris landed in Chicago.
FILE - In this Feb. 11, 2015, file photo, ground traffic is seen from the control tower at O’Hare International Airport in Chicago. (AP Photo/M. Spencer Green File)
CHICAGO (AP) 鈥 A popular Turkish American online streamer who is critical of President Donald Trump was recently detained and questioned at O鈥橦are International Airport after his flight from Paris landed in Chicago.
, who has 2.8 million followers on Twitch, recounted his experience online Monday saying he was questioned for hours a day earlier despite being born in the U.S. and enrolled in , a federal program allowing low-risk passengers to travel through customs and passport control quickly.
Piker believes he was targeted because of his views and said Customs and Border Protection officers asked his opinion of Trump and Hamas, among other topics. The liberal political commentator is frequently critical of Israel and the .
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鈥淭he goal here is to put fear into people鈥檚 hearts, to have a chilling effect on speech,鈥 Piker recounted in a detailed nearly 40-minute long account on his . 鈥淭he government is now officially willing and able to intimidate you for your speech. That is a direct violation of the First Amendment.鈥
Piker did not have comment Tuesday beyond his a day earlier, according to a spokesman. The hours-long broadcast on the live streaming platform included the same account posted on YouTube along with Piker’s commentary on other topics and his speaking engagement at the University of Chicago.
Federal officials dismissed Piker鈥檚 account of the detention on Tuesday, calling the questioning 鈥渞outine and lawful鈥 and something that can apply to any traveler.
鈥淭his is nothing but lying for likes. Claims that his political beliefs triggered the inspection are baseless,鈥 Tricia McLaughlin, U.S. Department of Homeland Security assistant secretary, said in a statement. 鈥淥nce his inspection was complete, he was promptly released.鈥
The Trump administration’s aggressive crackdown on and have also increased worries among U.S. citizens and navigating the last steps to citizenship. Recent immigration arrests have mistakenly swept up U.S. citizens in and other places.
Trump has deemed the pro-Palestinian campus protests as 鈥渁nti-American鈥 while say student arrests are part of an unprecedented attack on the freedom of speech. Last month a Palestinian man who led in Gaza as a student was arrested during what he thought was an interview about his citizenship.
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Federal officials declined to give further details about Piker’s detention, including what prompted the extensive questioning.
Piker, also known as HasanAbi on Twitch, was born in New Jersey. The 33-year-old was raised in Turkey. He lives in Los Angeles.
鈥淚鈥檓 not intimidated,” he said on YouTube, where he has 1.6 million subscribers. 鈥淚鈥檓 going to keep doing what I鈥檓 doing.鈥
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