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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
A BRITISH journalist and vocal advocate for Palestinian rights touched down at Heathrow airport today after being detained for more than two weeks by US immigration authorities.
Sami Hamdi was held by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers at San Francisco International Airport on October 26.
He had been in the middle of a speaking tour discussing Israel’s genocide in Gaza when the government revoked his visa.
The State Department did not specify what triggered the revocation. But the California chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-CA), whose lawyers challenged Mr Hamdi’s detention in federal court, said he was detained over his support for Palestine and “punished for criticising Israel.”
After arriving back in Britain today, Mr Samdi told the press: “This wasn’t just an attack on me, it was an attack on the freedoms of ordinary Americans and citizens worldwide.
“ It was an attack on their freedom to speak the truth in the face of hatred.
“ I think that the reason that my visa was targeted was not because of anything that I was saying, but because Americans were listening, because now public opinion is shifting because people are seeing the truth.
“There is a concern amongst bigots, amongst extremists that if the truth gets out, it will truly change the world.
“I am not the story. The story is about a world that is waking up to the truth. The truth is louder than hate.”
Mr Hamdi was held by US authorities for 18 days. According to his family, he was “detained in a room with 80–90 other people, living in terrible conditions.
“The US government revoked his visa without informing him and proceeded to use this as grounds to detain him,” they said in a statement.
CAIR-CA said the visa allegation was “manufactured,” confirming he left the US under a voluntary arrangement and had not been deported.
Immigration lawyer Hassan Ahmad, of HMA Law, who also represented Mr Hamdi, said: “They cancelled his visa, but not his voice. I’m glad Sami will be in a place where he can continue to speak truth to power.”
