British political commentator detained by ICE

London — A British political commentator who was being held by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is to return to the UK, his family has announced.

Sami Hamdi, who is Muslim and lives in London, was detained by ICE officers at San Francisco International Airport in California on October 26 after he travelled to the US for a speaking tour.

The California chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-CA), whose lawyers challenged Hamdi’s detention in federal court, has claimed he was detained over his support for Palestine and “punished for criticizing Israel, not for any alleged wrongdoing.”

Hamdi’s family announced in a statement on Monday the US government has agreed to free him.

They said: “Alhamdulillah, good news.

“The government has agreed to release Sami.

“He will be able to return home soon insha’Allah.”

Hamdi accepted an offer to leave the US voluntarily after being charged with visa overstay, according to his legal team.

But they said Hamdi should have never been detained, claiming that “anti-Muslim and pro-Israel extremists” pressured the US government into arresting him.

“Hamdi travelled to the United States on a valid visa to speak at events across the country,” a spokesperson for CAIR said.

British political commentator detained by ICE

“After anti-Muslim, pro-Israel extremists began publicly urging US officials to revoke his visa and remove him from the country, the government secretly revoked his visa and then detained him.

“At the time, the government refused to allow him to simply return to his native United Kingdom.

“The immigration charging document filed in his case alleged only a visa overstay – after the government revoked his visa without cause and without prior notice – and never identified any criminal conduct or security grounds.”

“This agreement establishes that the government does not consider Hamdi a danger to the community or to national security,” the spokesperson added.

The chief executive of CAIR California, Hussam Ayloush, said: “It is this simple: Sami never should have spent a single night in an ICE cell.

“His only real ‘offence’ was speaking clearly about Israel’s genocidal war crimes against Palestinians.”

He added: “Sami’s case shows how quickly our government officials are willing to sacrifice our First Amendment and free press when a journalist uses his platform to dare put America first before Israel.

“His forthcoming release is welcome, but it does not erase the message this sends to every activist and journalist watching – and every authoritarian dictatorship worldwide who can now claim they are following America’s example.”

The organization further accused the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) of using its official social media platforms to “malign” Hamdi, describing the move as “a troubling misuse of power that raises broader civil liberties concerns.”

A spokesperson for the UK government’s Foreign Office said: “We are in contact with and providing consular assistance to a British man detained in the USA.

“We are in touch with the local authorities and his family in the UK.”

Hamdi is managing director of The International Interest, a global risk and intelligence company, and has appeared as an analyst and commentator on British TV networks.

US officials previously said comments made by Hamdi, 35, after Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on southern Israel celebrated violence.

The DHS shared a video it said showed Hamdi had “cheered on” the October 7 attacks by saying: “How many of you felt it in your hearts when you got the news that it happened? How many of you felt the euphoria? Allahu Akbar!”

In the post, the DHS accused Hamid of supporting terrorism and undermining the safety of Americans.

But Hamdi’s wife Soumaya responded to the post last month, arguing her husband and his views had been misrepresented in an edited video clip.

Hamdi’s release comes after his legal team challenged his detention in federal court by filing a writ of habeas corpus, asking the government to justify his detention.

The date of Hamdi’s release has yet to be confirmed.