London – British political commentator Sami El Hamdi returned to London today after being released from custody in the United States. El Hamdi, who is of Tunisian descent, had been held in an immigration detention center for over two weeks.
El Hamdi was detained on October 26th at San Francisco International Airport after US officials revoked his visa. The revocation occurred during a speaking tour where he had been critical of the Israeli military actions in Gaza.
Upon his return, El Hamdi told reporters he is considering legal action against US authorities, alleging his detention at the immigration center was directly related to his commentary on the conflict in Gaza.
Following his departure from the US, El Hamdi expressed gratitude to federal judges for what he described as vindication from a “failed” detention orchestrated by “extremists” within the American government. He asserted that two federal judges found serious violations of free speech in his case.
“It’s wonderful to be back after being vindicated by two federal judges, both of whom found there were serious violations of free speech,” he stated upon arrival, greeted by his family. He maintained that the sole accusation against him was overstaying his visa after it was abruptly canceled, insisting he had adhered to all visa requirements. He believes the action was linked to his advocacy for Gaza.
“I want to say that this wasn’t just an attack on me; it was an attack on the freedoms of ordinary Americans and citizens around the world. It was an attack on their freedom to speak truth in the face of hatred,” El Hamdi stated.
US Homeland Security officials detained El Hamdi and revoked his visa on October 24th, confirming he would be deported and barred from completing his speaking tour in the United States.
Then-Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin stated, “Those who support terrorism and undermine American national security will not be allowed to work or visit this country.”
Prior to his detention, El Hamdi spoke at a Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) event in California and was scheduled to speak at another CAIR event in Florida.
