After more than two weeks in federal immigration custody, British journalist and political analyst Sami Hamdi is set to be released, following a high-profile campaign by civil rights advocates and legal teams who decried his detention as a politically motivated attack on press freedom. The 35-year-old, who serves as editor-in-chief of The International Interest, was detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers at San Francisco International Airport on October 26, 2025, while embarking on a US speaking tour that included appearances at events organized by the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR).
Hamdi’s ordeal began when he arrived in California on what he and his supporters believed to be a valid visa. According to CAIR, federal officials had “secretly” revoked his visa, using this as a pretext for his detention. The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) justified the move by claiming national security concerns, stating that “those who support terrorism and undermine American national security will not be allowed to work or visit this country.” Yet, as CAIR and his legal team pointed out, the immigration charging document filed against Hamdi merely alleged a visa overstay—an overstay that only occurred after the government revoked his visa “without cause and without prior notice.” No criminal conduct or security grounds were ever cited in the official paperwork.
On November 10, Hamdi’s family announced that the government had agreed to release him, allowing him to return home to the United Kingdom. “Alhamdulillah, good news. The government has agreed to release Sami. He will be able to return home soon insha’Allah. Additional details forthcoming,” the family said in a statement, as reported by Sky News. CAIR confirmed that Hamdi had accepted an offer to leave the US voluntarily, a move that concludes a detention period marked by legal wrangling and public outcry.
According to Bay City News, the California chapter of CAIR, attorney Hassan Ahmad of the HMA Law Firm, and the Muslim Legal Fund of America all played key roles in securing Hamdi’s release. Their combined efforts included filing a habeas petition in federal court, arguing that the sudden revocation and subsequent detention of a journalist raised serious First Amendment and due process concerns. The legal team’s arguments resonated with a federal judge, who issued a temporary restraining order blocking the government from transferring Hamdi out of California while his case was still active.
“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,” CAIR stated in a news release. “This agreement establishes that the government does not consider Hamdi a danger to the community or to national security.”
Hamdi’s supporters, however, argue that the real reason behind his detention was his outspoken criticism of Israel’s military actions in Gaza and his vocal support for Palestinian rights. CAIR’s California chapter CEO, Hussam Ayloush, was blunt in his assessment: “His only real ‘offense’ was speaking clearly about Israel’s genocidal war crimes against Palestinians.” Ayloush further stated, “It is this simple: Sami never should have spent a single night in an ICE cell.”
CAIR and other civil rights groups claim that Hamdi’s case is symptomatic of a broader crackdown by the Trump administration on critics of Israel and supporters of Palestinians. Since January 2025, the administration has ramped up immigration enforcement, including increased social media vetting, revoking visas for individuals who praised the murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, and deporting student visa and green card holders who have voiced support for Palestinians or criticized Israel’s conduct in the Gaza war. Hamdi’s detention, advocates say, is part of this wider campaign to silence dissenting voices, particularly those from Muslim or pro-Palestinian backgrounds.
Hamdi’s lawyers maintained throughout the process that the government’s actions set a dangerous precedent for press freedom and civil liberties. They argued that holding a journalist over a “manufactured” visa problem, especially when the underlying reason appeared to be his public speech, was a grave violation of constitutional protections. “The 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,” Ayloush remarked, as reported by Sky News.
The controversy surrounding Hamdi’s detention was further inflamed by reports that anti-Muslim and pro-Israel activists had publicly urged officials to revoke his visa, and that DHS used its social media platforms to “malign him—a troubling misuse of power that raises broader civil-liberties concerns,” according to CAIR. These developments sparked a wave of criticism from free speech advocates and journalists’ organizations, who warned that targeting a foreign journalist for their views could have a chilling effect on press freedom in the United States and abroad.
Hamdi, who is based in London, has long been an unflinching critic of what he describes as Israel’s “genocidal war crimes against Palestinians,” and he has frequently accused Western governments of complicity in those attacks. His role as managing director of The International Interest has made him a prominent voice in global political analysis, and his detention drew widespread attention from international media and human rights groups.
While the US Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to requests for comment, the resolution of Hamdi’s case appears to rest on a legal agreement allowing him to leave the country voluntarily, with no criminal or security allegations on his record. Advocates say this outcome underscores the lack of substantive grounds for his detention and vindicates their claims that the episode was driven by political motives rather than genuine security concerns.
For Hamdi and his family, the ordeal is nearly over. Once the necessary formalities are completed, he is expected to return to the United Kingdom in the coming days. For civil rights advocates and press freedom campaigners, however, the case leaves lingering questions about the state of free expression and due process in the US—especially for those whose views challenge powerful interests or official narratives.
The story of Sami Hamdi’s detention and release serves as a stark reminder of the delicate balance between national security and civil liberties, and of the vigilance required to protect the fundamental rights of journalists and critics in a climate of heightened political tension.
