Sami Hamdi, a British journalist, has been under indefinite detention by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at San Francisco International Airport since October 26, 2025, because ICE revoked his visitor visa due to national security risks stemming from his Gaza criticism of Israel.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) California chapter took immediate action by visiting Hamdi during his detention and submitting a habeas corpus petition together with an urgent temporary restraining order (TRO) to stop his transfer to a distant facility and deportation process.
The situation occurred while conservative leaders pushed the Trump administration to remove Hamdi from the country, which exposed conflicts between immigration control and free speech protections.
Visa Revocation and Sudden Arrest
Hamdi arrived in the United States legally on October 19, 2025, to participate in speaking engagements, including CAIR chapter meetings. The State Department’s Bureau of Consular Affairs took immediate action on October 24 to revoke his visa, making him subject to deportation after his airport detention following his CAIR Sacramento annual gala speech. The ICE agents stopped him from taking his flight to Florida for his upcoming CAIR event before they placed him in a holding facility.
Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin announced the decision through X while explaining that President Trump would deny entry to anyone who supports terrorism and threatens national security. The federal authorities based their decision on Hamdi’s statements about the Middle East conflict, but they failed to present any concrete evidence during media inquiries.
CAIR’s Urgent Legal Push
The CAIR attorneys inspected Hamdi at ICE detention facilities on October 27 to evaluate his state before submitting a federal court petition to defend his right to due process during his extended detention. The TRO request seeks to prevent Hamdi from being transferred to a distant facility in Bakersfield, as such a transfer would make it harder for him to obtain legal assistance and maintain contact with his family. The Sacramento Valley executive director of CAIR, Reshad Noorzay, described the situation by saying, “The authorities abducted him at SFO airport before transferring him to Bakersfield detention facilities.”
The CAIR National organization issued a forceful statement, which stated that the Israeli government used its power to abduct a British Muslim journalist because he expressed his opposition to their genocide policies. The organization asked Congress members to support Hamdi’s freedom while presenting his case as an example of Muslim persecution instead of security risks.
“Our nation must stop abducting critics of the Israeli government at the behest of unhinged Israel First bigots. This is an Israel First policy, not an America First policy, and it must end.”
— CAIR National Statement
Hamdi serves as managing director of The International Interest consulting firm. At the same time, he appears on BBC British networks to criticize Israel’s Gaza operations through multiple tours without facing U.S. visa problems.
Broader Context of Political Pressure
The Trump administration has stepped up its monitoring of pro-Palestine supporters, which resulted in more than 1,000 visa denials or revocations since January 2025, because of their social media posts that criticized Israel, according to civil rights organizations. The Trump supporter Laura Loomer took responsibility for reporting Hamdi to authorities while CAIR called her accusations “anti-Muslim conspiracy theories.”
The current situation mirrors previous incidents, including the Texas Muslim leader Marwan Marouf’s September 2025 detention because of his old conviction, which CAIR challenged through habeas corpus petitions. The American Civil Liberties Union, along with other critics, argues that these actions violate constitutional protections for all people, including foreign nationals. The federal courts have rejected at least 5 cases this year for insufficient evidence to support the claims.