An Australian activist was detained for hours and removed from the US

The United States has begun enforcing strict digital requirements on travelers entering its territory, and now an Australian activist claims that authorities refused to allow him to enter the country following posts he made on social media about pop star Billie Eilish.

As part of the new measures introduced by the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS), travelers who enter through the Electronic Travel Authorization System (ESTA) and who are exempt from issuing a visa may be required to provide extensive personal and digital information, including social network accounts they have used in the last five years, phone numbers, email addresses, and in some cases detailed information about family members.

The policy, which was published in December 2025 and officially went into effect last week, marks a significant expansion of digital inspections at the borders of the United States. Privacy activists warn that this change could lead to misinterpretations of online content, especially humor, satire or political opinions, in critical immigration decisions.

Brisbane-born Australian activist Drew Pablo says he was detained for 30 hours at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) before being sent back to Australia. Pablo, 26, publicly announced his intention to move into Billie Eilish’s home after the singer’s speech after accepting her award at the 68th Grammy Awards, in which she voiced sharp criticism of immigration enforcement in the United States. “I’m thankful for what I have, but I really don’t feel the need to say anything except that no man is illegal on stolen land,” Eilish said at the ceremony.

In response, Pablo launched an online crowdfunding campaign, in which he stated that he would fly to California and set up a tent on the singer’s property and that he would leave if he was officially required to do so. “I’m flying to the States next Friday to try to move into Billie Eilish’s beach estate in Malibu. No man is illegal on stolen land. Please donate and support my travel and photography costs.” Pablo wrote in the post and added: “I will ring the doorbell, and if they tell me to leave I will leave immediately, because I don’t want to get into trouble. Everything here is completely legal. I just intend to set up a tent for her entrance, and I will leave when they ask me to.”

When he arrived at LAX, he said, Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers asked him if he intended to enter Eilish’s property without permission. Pablo claims he replied to them that the posts were a joke and that he had no intention of entering the property illegally. “They asked if I was going to invade Billie Eilish’s property and I said no, I was just tweeting,” Pablo wrote on social media.

According to Pablo, authorities ultimately determined that he entered the U.S. with the wrong type of visa, based on a scheduled television appearance in Texas, which required a business visa. He noted that he is not barred from entering the U.S. in the future, but must apply for an appropriate visa for the next trip. He also claims that Eilish’s legal team contacted the DHS to prevent him from entering the country, although there is no evidence to support this.

Pablo, who first gained publicity in support protests in Hong Kong when he was a student in Australia, has since become a prominent political activist online. His critics describe him as a provocateur, while his supporters see his actions as a political slap.