British political commentator Sami Hamdi will voluntarily leave the United States after spending over two weeks in immigration detention, following accusations by the Trump administration that he supported Hamas and incited unrest during a US speaking tour, the Los Angeles Times reported.
Hamdi, 35, was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on October 26, one day after addressing the annual gala of the Sacramento chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR). CAIR claims Hamdi’s detention was politically motivated, citing his vocal criticism of Israel.
“It is this simple: Sami never should have spent a single night in an ICE cell. His only real ‘offense’ was speaking clearly about Israel’s genocidal war crimes against Palestinians,” said Hussam Ayloush, CEO of CAIR’s California chapter.
CAIR stated that Hamdi accepted an offer to leave the country voluntarily. Zahra Billoo, executive director of CAIR’s San Francisco office, said the logistics of his departure were still being finalized, but that he is not barred from applying for a future US visa.
The Department of Homeland Security said Hamdi’s visa had been revoked and that he was placed in immigration proceedings. His charging document listed only a visa overstay, which CAIR attributed to the government’s revocation.
Tricia McLaughlin, a Homeland Security spokeswoman, confirmed Hamdi’s request for voluntary departure, stating, “ICE is happily arranging his removal from this country.”
The State Department declined to comment on the specifics of Hamdi’s case, citing visa record confidentiality.
Hamdi’s arrest followed remarks made in a video shortly after Hamas’s October 7, 2023, massacre in Israel. In the clip, Hamdi asked: “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.”
Homeland Security cited the video as evidence of support for Hamas. Hamdi later claimed his intent was not to praise the attacks but to highlight what he called “a natural consequence of the oppression that is being put on the Palestinians.”