British Commentator Sami Hamdi Detained in US Over Israel Criticism, CAIR Calls Foul

SAN FRANCISCO / WASHINGTON, D.C. – British commentator Sami Hamdi was detained by federal immigration officers at San Francisco International Airport on Sunday, leading to a fierce debate over free speech and the Trump administration’s policy toward critics of Israel.

The Trump administration stated its decision to detain Hamdi and revoke his visa was necessary as the US has “no obligation to host foreigners ‘who support terrorism and actively undermine the safety of Americans.'”

However, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), which was hosting Hamdi on a speaking tour, immediately condemned the action as a “blatant affront to free speech” and called for his release.

Hamdi, a London-based journalist and editor-in-chief of the political risk consultancy International Interest, is a familiar face on British TV networks, offering analysis on Middle East developments. He had recently focused on the US-brokered Gaza ceasefire and post-war governance plans for the enclave.

He was detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on Sunday morning. Just a day prior, Hamdi had addressed CAIR’s annual gala in Sacramento, California, and was scheduled to speak at a CAIR Florida event next.

CAIR’s lawyers are actively working to address the detention, which the group characterized as “abducting a prominent British Muslim journalist and political commentator… because he dared to criticize the Israeli government’s genocide.”

The action against Hamdi follows a public pressure campaign led by conservative activist Laura Loomer, who boasts a direct line to President Trump. In a series of social media posts, Loomer claimed Hamdi’s arrest came after her “relentless pressure” on the State Department and Department of Homeland Security (DHS), alleging that Hamdi was “an individual with Islamic terror ties” and a supporter of Hamas.

The State Department confirmed the visa revocation, reiterating the government’s commitment to removing foreigners who “support terrorism” and compromise American safety. DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin defended the approach as “common sense.”

In response, CAIR labeled Loomer, who has a history of high-profile involvement in the Trump administration’s decisions, as an “anti-Muslim extremist” for her past anti-Islam rhetoric.

Hamdi’s detention is the latest in a series of similar actions by the Trump administration against pro-Palestinian and other non-citizen activists.

The trend has raised serious concerns among the judiciary. In a landmark ruling in September, a federal judge appointed by President Ronald Reagan, William Young, issued a 161-page rebuke of the administration’s efforts to deport non-citizen activists, describing them as a “full-throated assault on the First Amendment.” That ruling is currently expected to be appealed.