British journalist and political commentator Sami Hamdi is on a flight back to London, ending a more than two-week ordeal in US immigration detention. The managing director of The International Interest was detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at San Francisco International Airport on 26 October upon arrival for a speaking tour.
Family's Relief and Allegations of Political Targeting
Mr Hamdi's family confirmed his return on Thursday, expressing "great relief" in a public statement. They revealed that the US government agreed to allow him to leave voluntarily, with no formal deportation order or allegations made against him.
Despite this outcome, the family issued a strong condemnation of his treatment. "While we welcome this development, we want to underscore that no family should ever have to go through what we have," the statement read. They asserted that Mr Hamdi was in the United States on a valid visa when he was "abducted and detained by ICE, despite committing no crime."
The family directly linked his detention to his political commentary, stating: "All this because Sami, a journalist, political commentator, and human rights defender, spoke out against Israel’s genocide of Palestinians in Gaza."
Harsh Conditions and Legal Battle
During his detention, Mr Hamdi was reportedly subjected to terrible conditions, held in a room with between 80 and 90 other people. His legal team from the California chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-CA) challenged the detention in federal court.
CAIR-CA has claimed he was detained and punished for criticising Israel, not for any legitimate wrongdoing. According to his lawyers, Mr Hamdi ultimately accepted an offer to leave the US voluntarily after being charged with a visa overstay.
However, they contend that the US government had revoked his visa without informing him and then used this as a pretext to detain him. "In truth, they had nothing on Sami – he was targeted for his legally protected free speech," the family's statement claimed. "Otherwise, they would not have offered voluntary return."
Broader Implications and Calls for Action
The incident has raised significant concerns about free speech and international relations. Mr Hamdi's family stated they are "deeply worried" about the future of free speech in the US and called upon the UK government to "re-evaluate its approach and increase its efforts to secure the safe release of its citizens, including when they are detained by allies."
His legal team suggested that "anti-Muslim and pro-Israel extremists" pressured the US government into arresting the commentator. US officials have previously pointed to comments made by the 35-year-old after Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on southern Israel, which they said celebrated violence.
Despite the ordeal, the family vowed that Mr Hamdi "will never be intimidated into silence" and will continue to advocate for Palestinian rights. As they await his arrival at Heathrow on Thursday afternoon, they said they are keeping "all political prisoners held by ICE in our hearts."
