Daijiworld Media Network - Washington
Washington, Nov 11: British Muslim journalist Sami Hamdi, who was detained by US immigration authorities for allegedly overstaying his visa, is set to be released and allowed to return to the United Kingdom after spending more than two weeks in custody.
According to the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), Hamdi accepted a US government offer to leave the country voluntarily. The London-based political commentator was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on October 26 while passing through San Francisco International Airport during a speaking tour.
Authorities said his visa had been revoked for overstaying, but Muslim advocacy groups claimed the revocation occurred without prior notice and was politically motivated, citing Hamdi’s vocal criticism of Israel’s actions in Gaza.
“The government has agreed to release Sami. He will be able to return home soon, insha’Allah,” Hamdi’s family said in a statement on social media.
A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security, Tricia McLaughlin, told CNN that Hamdi had “voluntarily requested removal” and that ICE was “happily arranging his removal from this country.” She described him as “an illegal alien and terrorist sympathizer,” adding that under President Trump’s administration, “those who support terrorism and undermine American national security will not be allowed to work or visit this country.”
Hamdi, however, has not been charged with any crime. CAIR and his legal team said the government failed to provide any evidence to justify his detention. “This agreement establishes that the government does not consider Hamdi a danger to the community or to national security,” CAIR’s California chapter said in a statement.
His wife, Soumaya, also questioned the US government’s handling of the case. “If they want him out of the country, why not simply let him go? Why is the US government holding a British journalist without charge?” she wrote on Instagram.
Hamdi is known for his commentary on Middle East affairs and frequent appearances on British television. He has previously spoken on topics including the Israel-Hamas conflict and US-led efforts for Gaza’s post-war governance.
CAIR-CA CEO Hussam Ayloush criticised Hamdi’s detention, saying, “It is this simple: Sami never should have spent a single night in an ICE cell. His only real ‘offense’ was speaking clearly about Israel’s genocidal war crimes against Palestinians.”
Hamdi’s case follows similar visa revocations targeting pro-Palestinian voices under the Trump administration. Earlier this year, Cornell graduate student Momodou Taal, a dual UK-Gambian citizen, also had his visa cancelled and was forced to leave the US after participating in pro-Palestinian protests.