ICE Detains British Journalist Sami Hamdi

British journalist and political commentator Sami Hamdi has been detained by U.S. immigration authorities at San Francisco International Airport after his visa was revoked by the U.S. Department of State. 

According to official statements, the detention stems from Hamdi’s entry into the United States on a visa which was swiftly cancelled. The Department of Homeland Security confirmed that he is now in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) pending removal. 

Hamdi, a British national and editor-in-chief of the publication The International Interest, has frequently appeared on major news networks such as Al Jazeera, BBC and Sky News. His talent for commentary on Middle East and North Africa affairs has brought him international recognition. 

The timing of the detention coincided with Hamdi’s speaking tour in the United States — he had participated in an event hosted by the Council on American‑Islamic Relations (CAIR) in California and was scheduled to speak at another in Florida when U.S. immigration officials intervened. 

CAIR has condemned the action as a violation of press freedom and free expression. The organisation asserts that Hamdi’s only “offence” was his outspoken criticism of the Israeli government’s actions in Gaza. 

The case has elicited broader concerns about the treatment of journalists, particularly those with Muslim identities or critical of certain foreign governments, under the U.S. immigration and visa revocation policies. Observers note that the opaque nature of the visa cancellation and imminent removal proceedings raises questions about due process and freedom of speech protections.

Legal representatives for Hamdi, in cooperation with civil rights organisations, are reportedly preparing to challenge the detention and removal proceedings. They maintain that Hamdi entered the U.S. legally and that the sudden visa revocation lacks transparency and sufficient explanation.