Overnight from Saturday into Sunday, federal immigration authorities reportedly detained Sami Hamdi at San Francisco International Airport. He is a British journalist famous for his trenchant critique of Israel’s assaults on Gaza. International observers and civil society activists alike view his detention as retaliatory. They argue that it is the result of his ideology and utterances on his recent visit to the United States.
Hamdi was slated to give the keynote address at a gala organized by the Florida chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (Cair). He was arrested that very day. This is not only a matter of enormous concern for freedom of speech, but for the protection of journalists who report on controversial political topics.
The conditions of Hamdi’s detention have drawn criticism from civil liberties groups. Cair has decried the move, claiming it is a “clear and awful attack on free speech.” The organization has been coordinating with civil liberties attorneys to challenge Hamdi’s detention and is urging the military to release Hamdi immediately.
“Our attorneys and partners are working to address this injustice,” – Cair
Hamdi’s detention comes against the deeply disturbing backdrop of increased repression and scrutiny toward anyone voicing pro-Palestinian views. A ground-breaking ruling by a federal judge on October 17th determined that the Trump administration’s policy on detaining and deporting foreign scholars violates the First Amendment. This ruling defends the free speech rights of those scholars whose views are pro-Palestinian. The ruling was strong on the fact that such policies were made to “specifically” chill free speech.
Since she’s been elected, Laura Loomer, the firebrand Trump administration ally has once again provoked outrage. She unapologetically calls herself an “Islamophobe” and has taken credit for Hamdi’s detention. Her impact increased significantly when Elon Musk restored her Twitter account after taking over the platform in 2022. Her participation highlights the overall relationship between political power and media expression under today’s political climate.
Hamdi drew national attention in June when he live streamed the No Kings protest during the Philadelphia visit of President Trump. Ironically, his fellow journalist Mario Guevara had been arrested during the same event and was fighting deportation. Her current predicament underscores the fragile state of journalism within deeply adversarial political contexts.
When news of Hamdi’s detention broke, Cair redoubled its calls for congressional action. The organization has called on authorities to “immediately account for and release Mr. Hamdi,” emphasizing the importance of protecting journalists and their rights to express dissenting opinions.