Why was Charlie Chaplin denied reentry to the United States in 1952?

In 1952, while Charlie Chaplin was traveling to London for the premiere of his film Limelight, the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service informed him that he would be denied reentry to the United States unless he agreed to answer charges regarding his political associations and alleged moral turpitude.1

This action occurred during the era of McCarthyism, a period marked by intense political scrutiny and "witch hunts" targeting individuals suspected of communist sympathies. Chaplin had previously faced attention from the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) due to his perceived political leanings, though he publicly denied being a communist, describing himself instead as a "peacemonger". Rather than submit to the investigation, Chaplin chose to remain in Europe, eventually settling in Switzerland for the remainder of his life.12