Controversial Detention of British Commentator Sami Hamdi Sparks Outcry

Thu Oct 30 2025 19:34:41 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Sami Hamdi, a British Muslim political commentator, is currently detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. His detention, criticized by civil rights advocates, has raised alarms over free speech rights amidst accusations of supporting Hamas.

Sami Hamdi, a 35-year-old British political commentator, was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement after criticizing the Israeli government. His legal team is contesting his detention, claiming it violates constitutional protections. Advocacy groups assert that Hamdi's detention is politically motivated, occurring shortly after his remarks supporting Palestinian rights. The Department of Homeland Security responds with allegations linking Hamdi to terrorism. His case highlights tensions surrounding immigration enforcement and free speech.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Attorneys for Sami Hamdi, a British political commentator, currently held by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in California, are challenging his detention in court, his legal team announced on Wednesday.

Hamdi, who is Muslim, was detained on Sunday by ICE officers at San Francisco International Airport. His lawyers argue that his arrest was precipitated by his vocal criticism of the Israeli government. In contrast, U.S. officials have attributed his detention to post-October 7, 2023, comments they interpret as celebrating violence following Hamas attacks.

This incident is part of a broader initiative by the administration to identify and possibly expel foreign nationals allegedly involved in inciting or backing protests against Israel’s military operations in Gaza.

Civil rights organizations have condemned these enforcement actions, citing potential violations of constitutional rights to free speech, which should apply to everyone residing in the U.S., not just American citizens.

Legal representatives from the Council on American-Islamic Relations, the group representing Hamdi, filed a writ of habeas corpus on Tuesday, demanding the government justify his detention. They have also requested a temporary restraining order to seek a bond hearing and prevent Hamdi's removal from the U.S. during the legal proceedings.

“If the government can cancel a valid visa simply because it disapproves of someone's speech, it places anyone legally visiting, studying, or working in the U.S. at risk of politically motivated abduction,” the group stated. “This must end with Sami Hamdi.”

Hamdi, 35, was detained in response to his outspoken criticism of the Israeli government during a recent speaking tour in the U.S. He had just spoken at the annual gala of the chapter of the group in Sacramento, California, before his scheduled address at an event in Florida.

Tricia McLaughlin, a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security, referred to Hamdi’s court filings as a “desperate Hail Mary attempt to keep an illegal alien and terrorist sympathizer” in the United States. She cited comments Hamdi made online shortly after the October 7 terror attacks, claiming he expressed support for Hamas.

Critics of Hamdi allege that he celebrated the attacks in an online video, whereas he maintains that his comments were about the violence being a predictable outcome of the oppression faced by Palestinians. ICE officials noted that Hamdi arrived in the U.S. on October 19 on a visitor visa, which was revoked five days later, leading to his placement in removal proceedings.