UK journalist Sami Hamdi detained in US amid pro-Israel lobby pressure
Category: Breaking News | By: AFSHAN RIAZ | 2025-10-27 14:06:38
🌟 Key Highlights
🚨 British political commentator Sami Hamdi detained by US federal authorities at San Francisco Airport.
🗣️ CAIR condemns arrest as “a blatant affront to free speech” linked to Hamdi’s criticism of Israel’s war on Gaza.
🇬🇧 UK urged to seek clarification from Washington over treatment of its citizen.
⚖️ DHS claims Hamdi posed a national-security threat, citing visa revocation.
💬 Far-right activists celebrate detention online, fuelling outrage among civil-rights groups.
✈️ Detention at San Francisco Airport
British journalist and political analyst Sami Hamdi was detained by US Homeland Security officials on Sunday at San Francisco International Airport, according to the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR).
Hamdi had spoken at a CAIR gala in Sacramento the previous evening and was scheduled to appear at another event in Florida before being taken into custody by the Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency.
CAIR described the detention as a “coordinated far-right, Israel-First campaign”, calling it an attack on free expression.
“Our nation must stop abducting critics of the Israeli government at the behest of unhinged Israel-First bigots,” CAIR said.
“This is an Israel-First policy, not an America-First policy — and it must end.” 🇵🇸
🗣️ Outcry From Rights Groups and Supporters
Friends of Hamdi issued a statement calling the arrest “a deeply troubling precedent for freedom of expression”, urging the UK Foreign Office to demand immediate clarification from US authorities.
“The detention of a British citizen for expressing political opinions sets a dangerous precedent that no democracy should tolerate,” the statement said.
Hamdi’s father, Mohamed El-Hachmi Hamdi, posted on X that his son “has no affiliation with any political or religious group.”
“His stance on Palestine is rooted in the people’s right to peace, dignity, and freedom,” he wrote.
“He is simply one of this generation’s dreamers seeking justice and compassion.” 🌍
⚖️ DHS Justification and Free-Speech Concerns
DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin confirmed the detention, claiming without evidence that Hamdi posed a national-security threat.
“This individual’s visa was revoked, and he is in ICE custody pending removal,” she said on X.
Hamdi has long been outspoken against US and Israeli policy, accusing Western leaders of enabling Israel’s atrocities in Gaza.
Civil-rights groups say his detention reflects a growing pattern of silencing Muslim and pro-Palestine voices at US borders.
🧱 Pattern of Targeting Muslim Voices
CAIR cited recent cases of Palestinian activists being denied entry or deported, including Awdah and Eid Hathaleen, who were refused entry in June at the same airport and later sent to Qatar. Weeks later, Awdah was reportedly killed by an Israeli settler in the occupied West Bank.
“These recurring incidents reveal a deliberate effort to intimidate Muslim and Palestinian advocates,” CAIR said.
💬 Far-Right Celebration Online
Far-right commentator Laura Loomer, a self-described “proud Islamophobe,” boasted online about influencing the detention, writing:
“You’re lucky his only fate is being arrested and deported.”
Loomer and others credited the escalation to the RAIR Foundation, a pro-Israel pressure network known for promoting conspiracy theories and labelling critics of Israel as “security threats.”
Venture capitalist Shaun Maguire also joined the campaign, alleging — without proof — that Hamdi orchestrated an AI-driven email campaign to silence pro-Israel voices, calling critics “jihadists in America.”
Supporters, however, say these online claims are baseless smear tactics aimed at justifying political retaliation.
🕊️ Broader Implications
CAIR announced plans to challenge Hamdi’s deportation order, warning that the US is setting a chilling precedent against dissenters of Israeli policies.
“The message is clear — if you criticize Israel, you risk detention at the airport,” a CAIR spokesperson said.
As of Sunday night, Sami Hamdi remains in US custody, with no deportation executed yet.
