Fact Check: Australian writer Alistair Kitchen was detained and deported by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol officials upon arrival in Los Angeles for writing about pro-Palestinian protests.

Fact Check: "Australian writer Alistair Kitchen was detained and deported by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol officials upon arrival in Los Angeles for writing about pro-Palestinian protests."

What We Know

Alistair Kitchen, an Australian writer and former student at Columbia University, reported that he was detained for 12 hours and subsequently deported by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials upon his arrival at Los Angeles International Airport. Kitchen claims that the reason for his detention was his writings about pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia University, which he published on his personal blog, Kitchen Counter. In a series of posts on social media, he recounted that officials explicitly stated, “We both know why you’ve been detained … it’s because of what you wrote about the protests at Columbia” (The Guardian, Newsweek).

Kitchen's ordeal began on June 12, 2025, when he arrived in Los Angeles from Melbourne, Australia. He stated that CBP agents seemed to have prior knowledge of his writings and were waiting for him at the airport. He described a lengthy interrogation that included questions about his views on Israel, Palestine, and his relationships with individuals from both communities (CPJ, ABC News).

Despite Kitchen's assertions, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security later claimed that his deportation was related to prior drug use rather than his political beliefs (News.com.au). However, Kitchen disputes this explanation, suggesting that he was targeted for his political views and writings (Al Mayadeen).

Analysis

The evidence surrounding Kitchen's detention and deportation is based primarily on his own accounts and corroborated by various news sources. The consistency in his narrative across multiple outlets lends credibility to his claims. For instance, both The Guardian and Newsweek reported similar details regarding the nature of his interrogation and the comments made by CBP officials.

However, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's denial of political motivation raises questions about the reliability of their statements. Their assertion that Kitchen was deported due to prior drug use lacks supporting evidence and contrasts sharply with Kitchen's detailed account of being targeted for his writings. This discrepancy suggests a potential attempt to downplay the implications of political suppression in immigration practices.

Additionally, the broader context of increased scrutiny of immigrants' social media and political expressions under the previous U.S. administration supports the possibility that Kitchen's deportation was politically motivated. Reports of other individuals facing similar treatment for their political views, such as the case of a French scientist denied entry for criticizing Donald Trump, further contextualize Kitchen's experience (The Guardian).

Conclusion

The claim that Alistair Kitchen was detained and deported by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol officials upon arrival in Los Angeles for writing about pro-Palestinian protests is True. The evidence presented, including Kitchen's own detailed accounts and corroborating reports from multiple credible sources, supports the conclusion that his deportation was linked to his political writings. The conflicting statements from U.S. authorities regarding the reasons for his deportation further reinforce the likelihood that political motivations were at play.

Fact Check: Australian writer Alistair Kitchen was detained and deported by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol officials upon arrival in Los Angeles for writing about pro-Palestinian protests.