Hamdi’s lawyers said he was detained for his pro-Palestinian views and was only charged with overstaying his visa after it was canceled without warning.
British journalist and pro-Palestinian commentator Sami Hamdi will return home more than two weeks after being imprisoned by US immigration authorities, his wife and legal representatives said on Monday.
Hamdi, 35, was stopped at California’s San Francisco International Airport on October 26 while on a speaking tour to discuss Israel’s war in Gaza, and was detained by agents of the Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
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Hassan M. Ahmad, an attorney for the California chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-CA) and the Islamic Law Foundation of America (MLFA), said in a statement Monday that the journalist and commentator was punished for criticizing Israel during a lecture tour in the United States, not for any suspicion of wrongdoing.
“It’s simple: Sami should never have spent a night in an ICE cell,” Hassam Ailush, CEO of CAIR’s California branch, said in a statement.
“His only real ‘crime’ was speaking out about Israel’s genocidal war crimes against the Palestinian people.”
“The immigration complaint filed in Mr. Hamdi’s case alleges only a visa overstay, with the government revoking his visa without reason or prior notice, and does not identify any criminal activity or security reasons,” Hamdi’s legal representatives said in a joint statement.
Hamdi’s wife, Soumaya Hamdi, welcomed the news in a series of posts on social media, saying: “Sami is coming home, Alhamdulillah. Words cannot describe how overjoyed I feel.”
She also expressed her “heartfelt gratitude” to the “countless wonderful people” who offered assistance during her husband’s detention.
A number of institutions have expressed concern about Hamdi’s treatment, including his alma mater, London’s School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), and freedom of expression group PEN America.
By contrast, some, such as far-right activist and Donald Trump ally Laura Loomer, openly advocated for Hamdi’s detention. She celebrated Hamdi’s capture and reiterated that he would be deported without citing the source.
Mr. Loomer, who calls himself a “proud Islamophobe,” also accused Mr. Hamdi of supporting Islamic terrorism, without providing any evidence.
Hamdi’s father, Mohamed El Hachimi Hamdi, responded to the allegations about his son by saying in a post on X that he has “no ties” to any political or religious groups.
“His position on Palestine is not aligned with any Palestinian faction, but rather with the people’s right to security, peace, freedom and dignity. Quite simply, he is one of this generation of young dreamers who aspires to a world with more compassion, justice and solidarity.”
US President Donald Trump’s administration has targeted many pro-Palestinian advocates while also trying to broker a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
Those targeted include Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian and former Columbia University student. He continues to face challenges to his U.S. immigration status after being released from custody in June.
Israel’s war in Gaza has killed at least 68,875 Palestinians and injured 170,679 since October 2023, and an independent United Nations commission of inquiry and several human rights groups have labeled it a genocide.
