11 November 2025
British journalist and political analyst Sami Hamdi is set to be released from US immigration custody following a government agreement allowing him to return home to the UK, his family and civil rights advocates confirmed on Monday.
Hamdi, who was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers at San Francisco International Airport on 26 October while on a US speaking tour, had been held for over two weeks.
The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said his visa had been revoked on grounds relating to national security, claiming that “those who support terrorism and undermine American national security will not be allowed to work or visit this country”.
His family said in a short statement: “Alhamdulillah, good news. The government has agreed to release Sami. He will be able to return home soon insha’Allah. Additional details forthcoming.”
The California chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-CA), the HMA Law Firm, and the Muslim Legal Fund of America (MLFA) said the release follows a legal agreement that ends Hamdi’s detention and allows him to leave voluntarily.
According to CAIR-CA, Hamdi’s immigration charge alleged only a visa overstay – one that occurred after the government revoked his visa “without cause and without prior notice”.
The group said the case never involved any criminal conduct or security allegations, and that “the government does not consider Hamdi a danger to the community or to national security”.
Civil rights advocates argue that Hamdi’s detention was politically motivated and intended to punish him for his outspoken criticism of Israel’s war on Gaza. The journalist has been an unflinching critic of what he describes as Israel’s “genocidal war crimes against Palestinians”, and has frequently accused Western governments of complicity in those attacks.
Source: newarab
