Minhaj. (Wikimedia Commons)

Prior to the release of Patriot Act, Hasan Minhaj rose to stardom through his role as a correspondent on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, and he spoke on the immigrant experience as a first- generation Muslim, Indian American in his critically acclaimed and Peabody Award-winning stand up special, Homecoming King. As host of the 2017 White House Correspondents Dinner, Minhaj delivered scathing and controversial blows at the expense of the president while also speaking on the necessity of a free press in the age of Trump.

Named after the USA PATRIOT Act (United and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act), passed post 9/11, this law allowed for increased surveillance of U.S citizens by law enforcement in the name of fighting terrorism, Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj released its first episode in October of 2018 and aims to “explore the modern cultural and political landscape with depth and sincerity.”

Minhaj sets himself apart, ditching the typical late night show format by standing without a desk and dressing without a suit. In addition, instead of reporting the news of the week, each episode deep dives into a specific topic in Minhaj’s effort by to make the show both “timely and timeless.” Each episode delivers a witty, informative, and nuanced take on important issues, such as immigration enforcement or drug pricing, that may go unnoticed in generic news by many audiences.

Patriot Act is now in its second season, and new episodes are released every Sunday on Netflix and Youtube.