Overview
- Sami Hamdi was taken into ICE custody at San Francisco International Airport on Sunday, with DHS saying his visitor visa had been revoked and that he faces removal.
- CAIR says Hamdi has not been deported and that attorneys are challenging his detention, calling it a violation of free speech tied to his U.S. speaking tour.
- DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin announced the action on X and thanked Secretary Kristi Noem and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, framing the case as a national-security matter.
- Conservative activists, including Laura Loomer and RAIR founder Amy Mek, publicly urged authorities to act and took credit online, while their allegations against Hamdi remain unproven in public.
- The case follows broader visa revocations targeting pro-Palestinian voices under the current administration, with recent court rulings questioning the constitutionality of such actions tied to protected expression.