British political commentator Sami Hamdi, who was detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in late October while on a speaking tour, is set to be released and will be able to 'return home soon', his family has said.
Hamdi was detained on 26 October at San Francisco International Airport after his visa was revoked. The Council on American-Islamic Relations (Cair) said his detention appeared to be in retaliation for his criticism of Israel while touring the US, calling it a 'blatant affront to free speech'. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) stated that Hamdi's visa had been revoked and that he was in ICE custody pending removal, citing support for terrorism and threats to national security.
The DHS referenced remarks Hamdi made following the 7 October 2023 Hamas attacks, sharing a video clip in which he spoke of Palestinians celebrating a 'victory' and 'euphoria'. Hamdi later clarified that he does not celebrate war or death, but rather the revival of a cause. His wife dismissed the allegations as 'outrageous', claiming the videos were edited by an Islamophobic organisation.
On Monday, the California chapter of Cair confirmed that Hamdi accepted an offer to leave the US voluntarily. The immigration charging document alleged only a visa overstay after the government revoked his visa without cause. Cair stated that this agreement shows the government does not consider Hamdi a danger. However, DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said Hamdi is a 'terrorist sympathiser' and ICE is arranging his removal.
