‘A politically motivated act of intimidation’: Sami Hamdi’s father accuses US of detaining him for his views on Gaza

The father of British journalist Sami Hamdi has accused the United States of carrying out a “politically motivated act of intimidation” after his son was detained by immigration authorities in California over his criticism of Israel’s war in Gaza. 

In an exclusive interview with The New Arab, Dr Mohamed Elhachmi Hamdi said his son “never expected” to be detained or have his visa cancelled while on a speaking tour across the US, where he had travelled multiple times before. 

“Sami obtained a ten-year visa to enter the United States. He received it several years ago and has visited the US multiple times,” Dr Hamdi said. “Upon entry, he was sometimes asked about the purpose of his visit and his plans during his stay, but he never expected that his visa would be cancelled and that he would be detained for deportation.” 

Sami Hamdi, a journalist and frequent commentator on Middle Eastern politics, was arrested at San Francisco International Airport on Sunday after officials informed him that his visa had been revoked. He had been preparing to board a domestic flight to Florida when he was taken into custody by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

 “He had no knowledge that his visa had been revoked and only learned about it at that moment,” Dr Hamdi told The New Arab. “He is now being held in an immigration deportation centre in the state of California, awaiting a hearing before an immigration judge.” 

He said his son’s spirits remained “good despite the great shock of what happened”, adding that the family believes the detention was directly linked to Sami’s criticism of Israel’s war in Gaza.

 “Unfortunately, he was detained shortly afterward because of his criticism of Israel and its war in Gaza — an opinion that should have been met with another opinion, not with visa cancellation, arrest, and deportation.” 

Dr Hamdi said several British MPs, including the deputy leader of the Green Party, as well as the National Union of Journalists, had expressed support and called for Sami’s release. He confirmed that a representative from the British Consulate in San Francisco had been in contact with his son. 

The father added that his son’s case reflects a growing intolerance in the United States toward criticism of Israel.

 “I am saddened that the United States has become so intolerant of opinions critical of Israel or of certain US government policies,” he said. “Just two days ago, I heard that the visa of Nigerian writer Wole Soyinka — winner of the 1986 Nobel Prize in Literature — was revoked because of views the government did not like.”

'We want Sami home'

 In a separate statement, the Hamdi family described Sami’s detention as “a politically motivated act of intimidation” intended to silence journalists who “speak truth to power”. 

“Our beloved Sami was abducted over the weekend by the US government because of his courageous and effective advocacy for Palestinian human rights,” the statement said. “He is a journalist, political commentator, and human rights defender who has dedicated his life to speaking out against injustices and upholding freedom of the press.” 

The family urged the UK government to intervene, saying it had so far failed to provide full consular support. “We want Sami brought home to his family in the UK immediately and for his good name to be cleared,” they said.

The US Department of Homeland Security said Hamdi’s visa was revoked and that he was in custody “pending removal”. A DHS spokesperson shared a post from the department’s press secretary claiming that “those who support terrorism and undermine American national security will not be allowed to work or visit this country.” 

No evidence has been presented to support the accusation, which appears to stem from edited video clips circulated by the pro-Israel group MEMRI showing Hamdi praising Palestinians in the aftermath of the 7 October 2023 Hamas attacks. Hamdi later clarified that his comments referred to the “revival of the Palestinian cause”, not to violence. 

Rights groups and legal experts have condemned his detention. The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), which had organised Hamdi’s US speaking tour, said he was “in positive spirits despite his abduction” and called for his immediate release. 

The Knight First Amendment Institute said the detention of a lawfully present foreign national “because you don’t like what they have to say” was a “brazen violation of the First Amendment”.