Wife of detained British political commentator calls for his release
How far does freedom of expression go? It's the question at the heart of the case of the detainment of British political commentator Sami Hamdi by ICE in San Francisco. His arrest is triggered by his criticism of the Israeli government, his wife and lawyers say.
The wife of a British political commentator being held by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) has called for his immediate release. Sami Hamdi, who is Muslim and lives in London, was detained by Ice officers at San Francisco International Airport on Sunday, federal officials confirmed.
Mr Hamdi's wife Soumaya, and his lawyers from the Council on American-Islamic Relations, believe his arrest was triggered by his criticism of the Israeli government.
Mrs Hamdi said her husband has been "abducted" by the US government for advocating for Palestinian human rights in a "politically motivated act" intended to silence those who "speak truth to power".
US officials said comments made by Mr Hamdi, 35, after Hamas's October 7 2023 attack on southern Israel celebrated violence.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shared a video it said showed Mr Hamdi had "cheered on" the October 7 attacks by saying: "How many of you felt it in your hearts when you got the news that it happened? How many of you felt the euphoria? Allahu Akbar!"
In the post, the DHS accused Hamid of supporting terrorism and undermining the safety of Americans. Mrs Hamdi said her husband and his views had been misrepresented in an edited video clip.
Revoked visa
Mr Hamdi was on a speaking tour in the US on a visitor visa which has now been revoked. He is being held at the Golden State Annex detention centre in McFarland, California, his wife said.
On Tuesday, Hr Hamdi's legal team filed a writ of habeas corpus, asking the government to justify his detention.
Mrs Hamdi, 34, told the PA news agency the situation has been "incredibly stressful" for her and her family. Mr and Mrs Hamdi have a 10 month-old baby and two older children aged 10 and six.
She said: "We feel so anxious. Sami is a British citizen travelling on a valid visa, he has entered the US multiple times with no problems and he was travelling domestically (when he was detained), so had already been allowed into the country."
Mrs Hamdi said she had been able to have a brief phone call with her husband for the first time since his arrest on Sunday, during which he told her where he was being held.
Mrs Hamdi said: "I don't think I've ever felt this anxious before ever, and I feel really bad for the kids because we were supposed to meet Sami in New York on Monday."
"They want to know why they can't speak to their dad ... they feel like they're being punished or they're in trouble.
Mrs Hamdi said she contacted the UK Government's Foreign Office and was told it had not received formal confirmation of why Mr Hamdi's visa had been revoked.
Right to political expression
She called for her husband's immediate release, adding: "Anyone who values the right to political expression, anyone who wants to continue exercising these rights - this is something they should be really worried about. This is not just an issue for Sami, this is not just an issue for Sami's family.
"Anyone who believes in these rights should be really concerned about those and should be pitching in and doing their best to make sure this justice is righted as soon as possible."
In a statement on Wednesday, DHS spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin said Mr Hamdi "cheered on Hamas" following the October 7 attacks.
She said: "Under President Trump, those who support terrorism and undermine American national security will not be allowed to work or visit this country. "That's just comment sense."
The Foreign Office and the DHS have been contacted for comment.