CONTROVERSIAL Muslim activist Yassmin Abdel-Magied has revealed her frightening confrontation with US immigration officials before she was denied entry to the US.

Ms Abdel-Magied told Channel Ten’s The Project she was subjected to “aggressive” treatment after arriving at Minneapolis.

Ms Abdel-Magied said the officer dealing with her was aggressive, and claimed at one point said she would “shoot”.

“When the officer got aggressive, my gut instinct to use humour kicked in,” Ms Abdel-Magied told The Project in a statement.

“I jokingly asked if she was going to shoot me. She said, ‘I will’.”

The former Young Queenslander of the Year said she had entered the US before on the same visa without trouble.

In a statement released on Twitter, Ms Abdel-Magied said she had returned to London, where she is now based, and was seeking advice to resolve the issue as soon as possible.

media_camera Yassmin Abdel-Magied has returned to London after being denied entry to the US.

“On 11 April 2018, I attempted to enter the United States of America. The validity of my visa to enter was challenged and I have now returned to London,” Ms Abdel-Magied said.

“I was travelling to New York City to present at PEN World Voices Festival and an event hosted by Target Corporation.”

“I have previously travelled to the United States on the visa that I sought entry with on this occasion.”

Earlier today, Ms Abdel-Magied told her social media followers she was in Minneapolis when the incident occurred.

“Roughly three hours since touch down in Minneapolis, I’m on a plane back. Subhanallah. Well, guess that tightening of immigration laws business is working, despite my Australian passport. We’re taking off now. What a time...,” she said.

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media_camera Yassmin Abdel-Magied has moved overseas from Australia. Picture: Kym Smith

Roughly three hours since touch down in Minneapolis, I’m on a plane back. Subhanallah. Well, guess that tightening of immigration laws business is working, despite my Australian passport. We’re taking off now. What a time... — Yassmin Abdel-Magied (@yassmin_a) April 12, 2018

At around 10.35am AEST, she confirmed she was on her way back to where she came from.

Plane is up. See y’all on the other side, inshallah. — Yassmin Abdel-Magied (@yassmin_a) April 12, 2018

US Customs and Border Protection have confirmed that Ms Abdel-Magied was turned away because she did not have the correct visa.

The US CBP said she did not have the appropriate visa to receive payment for her speaking engagements and she was denied admission.

According to the CBP, Ms Abdel-Magied is eligible to re-apply for a US visa in the future.

When the incident first unfolded at 8.18am AEST, she tweeted that she was being stopped at the border in the US. She wrote: “** if they will let me in. I’m currently at the border and they’ve said I’m being deported. This should be fun. What are my rights?”

She confirmed minutes later that her deportation was happening by tweeting: “They’ve taken my phone, cancelled my visa and are deporting me. Will follow up on messages once I understand what’s going on.”

They’ve taken my phone, cancelled my visa and are deporting me. Will follow up on messages once I understand what’s going on. https://t.co/uT61v8cZXG — Yassmin Abdel-Magied (@yassmin_a) April 11, 2018

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Ms Abdiel-Magied seemed to make light of the situation by then tweeting: “Also lol. Funniest thing is that throughout this whole ordeal all I am thinking about is what a good story this will make. We all have ways of dealing with situations.”

She later tweeted that she was deported after an Officer Herberg looked at her case within a few minutes.

Interesting facts: within a few min of looking at my case the border security person - Officer Herberg looking at my case she announces: ‘we’re sending you back!’ — Yassmin Abdel-Magied (@yassmin_a) April 12, 2018

She added: “Oh, and they still have my passport. Apparently I can’t be trusted with it until I’m in a foreign country because, as Officer Blees said, ‘planes get turned away back way too often and then...”

Oh yuh and did I mention they took my phone for the whole time? Fortunately I’m a paranoid person - notifications don’t show previews of messages, and a 12 digit passcode. Always be vigilant, yo. — Yassmin Abdel-Magied (@yassmin_a) April 12, 2018

Oh, and they still have my passport. Apparently I can’t be trusted with it until I’m in a foreign country because, as Officer Blees said, ‘planes get turned away back way too often and then...’ — Yassmin Abdel-Magied (@yassmin_a) April 12, 2018

A Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokeswoman said the department was aware of the situation and stood ready to offer consular assistance to any Australian citizen should they request it.

But under DFAT’s charter, it is unable to intervene in immigration matters in other countries.

“The decision on who can enter the United States is a matter solely for the US Government,” a spokeswoman said.

Citizenship Minister Alan Tudge told Sky News it was unusual for an Australian citizen to not be granted a visa to go into the US. He could not comment further on her personal situation.

Ms Abdel-Magied, a former Queensland Young Australian of the Year, was due to speak at the PEN America’s World Voices Festival in New York where she was listed to appear at two events. One was titled “The M Word: No Country for Young Muslim Women” on April 18. According to online ticketing information, this event was described as a chance for Muslims to speak about how to survive in cultures that hate them.

media_camera Teen Vogue also featured a piece from Yassmin Abdel-Magied. Picture: Supplied

It states: “In many western countries, being Muslim, young, and female brings with it a particularly heavy burden. Amani Al-Khatahtbeh was forced to leave America in the wake of relentless vilification and harassment post-9/11, and just last year Yassmin Abdel-Magied was hounded out of Australia by ferocious media and online attacks. They talk about how to survive in cultures that hate them.”

The other event was “Take back the net: Fighting online hate” on April 21. Online ticket information for this event say Ms Abdel-Magied was meant to talk about her experience with cyberbullying.

It states: “In acts of heroic resistance against constant vilification and virtual attacks, writers Anita Sarkeesian, Yassmin Abdel-Magied, and Porochista Khakpour refused to be silenced by vitriolic internet haters. They share their experiences with online hate and discuss how best to counter it to make the internet a more inclusive place for all.”

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Come see me at the @penworldvoices Festival.



I will be at No Country for Young Muslim Women on Wednesday, April 18, and Take Back the Net on Saturday, April 21. #PENFest Tickets are still available: https://t.co/T7XG2XfPFP pic.twitter.com/BeCyI50bkQ — Yassmin Abdel-Magied (@yassmin_a) April 9, 2018

PEN America Chief Executive Officer Suzanne Nossel released a statement detailing their shock and dismay as they called on US Customs and Border Patrol officials to let her into the US.

Ms Nossel’s statement confirmed Ms Abdel-Magied was being sent back to Amsterdam, and they understand that she was travelling on a type of visa that she had used in the past for similar trips without any issue.

“We are dismayed that an invited guest to our annual PEN World Voices Festival in New York, which starts on Monday, Yassmin Abdel-Magied, herself the founder of an organisation called Youth Without Borders, was turned away by US Immigration officials in Minneapolis, reportedly had her phone and passport seized, and was put back on a plane to Amsterdam.

“Abdel-Magied is an advocate of the rights of Muslim women and refugees and is a citizen of Australia, travelling on that country’s passport. The very purpose of the PEN World Voices Festival, founded after 9/11 to sustain the connectedness between the US and the wider world, is in jeopardy at a time when efforts at visa bans and tightened immigration restrictions threaten to choke off vital channels of dialogue that are protected under the First Amendment right to receive and impart information through in-person cultural exchange.

“We understand that Yassmin was traveling on a type of visa that she had used in the past for similar trips without issue. We call on Customs and Border Patrol to admit her to the US so that she can take her rightful place in the urgent international conversation to take place at the Festival next week.”

media_camera A US Customs and Border Protection officer denied her access. Picture: Getty

The news of her deportation comes after she fled Australia for the UK after claiming she was the nation’s most hated Muslim.

Ms Abdel-Magied fled to London last year after she compared Australia to an “abusive boyfriend”.

Now the former ABC TV presenter — who made headlines with a number of politically charged statements about Islam, Anzac Day and African gangs — has also recently moved into acting.

Now, she is about to make her acting debut in the new SBS series Homecoming Queens.

Created and co-written by Michelle Law, the series looks at the lives of two young women as they deal with life after major illness.

Ms Abdel-Magied took to Instagram to share her news, describing herself as “SO excited” this month before the series became available online today.

media_camera Yassmin Abdel-Magied says she has never had travel visa issues before.

Last month, she was given a coveted free speech award by human rights group Liberty Victoria.

Ms Abdel-Magied was awarded the 2018 Young Voltaire Award for being a “role model” to young women, Muslims and migrants.

“I won an award for free speech y’all,” Ms Abdel-Magied said on Twitter at the time.

“This one is for all those young Muslims and POC (people of colour) in Aus and around the world who know their equality is conditional, but know they need to speak anyway. And for all of those who tried to silence me ... Eat your hearts out.”

Ms Abdel-Magied’s career has not been without several incidents where her words courted controversy.

She had a heated exchange on ABC’s Q&A with former Tasmanian senator Jackie Lambie where she declared: “Islam to me is the most feminist religion.”

Ms Abdel-Magied also shocked Australia with her Anzac Day gaffe, where she posted on Facebook: “Lest We Forget (Manus, Nauru, Syria, Palestine ...).”

The former host of ABC 24’s program Australia Wide amended the post to simply say “Lest. We. Forget” and issued an apology.

“It was brought to my attention that my last post was disrespectful, and for that I unreservedly apologise,” she wrote.