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2h ago

Sami Hamdi Returns to U.K. After Two Weeks in U.S. Immigration Custody

U.S. officials revoked his visa under security rules, drawing denunciations from rights groups who call the detention retaliation for pro‑Palestinian speech.

British political commentator Sami Hamdi speaks to the media in London, Thursday, Nov. 13, 2025, on his return to the U.K. after he was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Oct. 26 while on a speaking tour in the U.S.. (AP Photo/Thomas Krych)
British political commentator Sami Hamdi speaks to the media in London, Thursday, Nov. 13, 2025, on his return to the U.K. after he was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Oct. 26 while on a speaking tour in the U.S.. (AP Photo/Thomas Krych)

Overview

  • The British commentator landed at Heathrow on Thursday after accepting voluntary departure, with his family saying there is no deportation order or allegations on his record.
  • Hamdi was detained on October 26 at San Francisco International Airport after the State Department revoked his visa, and ICE treated him as being in the country illegally.
  • A DHS official labeled him “an illegal alien and terrorist sympathizer,” while Hamdi and CAIR‑CA argue he was targeted for his views on Gaza and criticism of Israel.
  • Hamdi described harsh conditions in custody, alleging overcrowding, shackling, and delayed medical care, and said two federal judges found serious breaches of free‑speech protections.
  • He said he is considering suing U.S. authorities, as civil‑rights and press‑freedom groups link his case to a wider Trump administration push to revoke visas tied to pro‑Palestinian advocacy.