Sami Hamdi, a British political commentator, has been detained by US immigration authorities. His visa was revoked, and he is set to be deported. Hamidi will be stopped from completing his speaking tour in the United States, a Homeland Security official confirmed on Sunday, CNN reported.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) condemned Hamdi’s detention at San Francisco airport on Sunday, calling it “a blatant affront to free speech.”
Who is Sami Hamdi?
According to his LinkedIn profile, Sami Hamdi is the Managing Director and Head of a political risk and intelligence company, The International Interest. In this role, he advises governments on the “geopolitical landscape of Europe and the MENA region.” Hamdi has also worked as a commentator for Al Jazeera in 2022. He is a graduate of SOAS University of London.
Hamdi says much of his political awareness comes from his father, Mohamed Hechmi Hamdi, a well-known Tunisian political activist. According to The Voice of the Cape, his father had to flee Tunisia to escape persecution. He started living in Algeria, Sudan, and finally settled in London.
Hamdi was initially interested in making a career in soccer, inspired by an autobiographical account of a Jewish man’s journey to Islam. Later, he changed his mind and pursued a career in politics after completing his legal studies. Hamdi eventually moved into risk analysis.
Taking to X, Hamdi’s father said, “His stance on Palestine is not aligned with any faction there, but rather with the people’s right to security, peace, freedom and dignity. He is, quite simply, one of the young dreamers of this generation, yearning for a world with more compassion, justice, and solidarity,” he added.
British commentator Sami Hamdi detained in US
DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin posted on the social media site X, “Under President Trump, those who support terrorism and undermine American national security will not be allowed to work or visit this country.” She added, “This individual’s visa was revoked, and he is in ICE custody pending removal”.
Hamdi earlier attended an event for the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) in Sacramento, California, on Saturday. He was also scheduled to speak the next day at another CAIR event in Florida. According to CAIR, Hamdi was detained at San Francisco International Airport before he could continue his tour.
CAIR condemns detention
CAIR accused the administration of targeting Hamidi because of his criticism of the Israeli government and called for his immediate release. Edward Ahmed Mitchell, deputy director of CAIR, said Hamdi had previously denied supporting Islamic militants. “Abducting a prominent British Muslim journalist and political commentator on a speaking tour in the United States because he dared to criticise the Israeli government’s genocide is a blatant affront to free speech,” CAIR said in a statement.