Overview
- ICE detained Hamdi at San Francisco International Airport on Sunday, and he is being held at a detention facility in McFarland, California with a court date set for November.
- The State Department revoked his visitor visa on Oct. 24 after he entered the U.S. on Oct. 19, and ICE placed him in immigration removal proceedings.
- DHS cites a clip it says shows Hamdi cheering Hamas after Oct. 7, 2023, while Hamdi and his supporters reject that characterization and point to statements where he said he does not celebrate death or war.
- CAIR attorneys have filed a habeas corpus petition and sought an emergency order for a bond hearing and to block his removal while the case is considered.
- Far-right activists publicly pressed for his deportation, five UK MPs called for assurances about his safety, and civil-rights groups highlight a recent federal ruling that found similar speech-based visa actions unconstitutional.