British Journalist Sami Hamdi to Be Released from ICE Custody, Return to UK After Voluntary Removal Agreement

British journalist Sami Hamdi expected to return to the UK after ICE agrees voluntary removal

British Muslim journalist and commentator Sami Hamdi, who was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) while transiting San Francisco International Airport, is expected to be released and allowed to travel back to the United Kingdom under a voluntary removal agreement.

Hamdi, a London-based analyst known for commentary on Middle East affairs, was taken into custody on October 26, a day after speaking at the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) annual gala in California. Officials initially told him he was being held for overstaying a U.S. visa; advocacy groups and Hamdi’s family say his visa was revoked during the trip without prior notice or explanation.

“The government has agreed to release Sami,” Hamdi’s family said in a social media statement. “He will be able to return home soon insha’Allah.”

On Monday, CAIR said Hamdi had accepted an offer from the U.S. government to leave the country voluntarily. Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told CNN that Hamdi had requested voluntary removal and that ICE was arranging his departure. In that statement McLaughlin described Hamdi as “an illegal alien and terrorist sympathizer,” saying, “Under President Trump, those who support terrorism and undermine American national security will not be allowed to work or visit this country.” These comments are part of the public record and reflect the agency’s characterization.

CAIR-California and Hamdi’s lawyer welcomed the decision, saying the agreement demonstrates the government does not consider Hamdi a danger to the community or to national security. Hamdi’s wife, Soumaya, said authorities provided “no evidence” to justify his detention and questioned why he was not simply allowed to leave if the government wanted him removed.

Hamdi has frequently appeared on British television and spoken publicly about U.S.-brokered ceasefire efforts in Gaza and proposals for post-war governance of the enclave. His public remarks — including a 2023 London event where he used the phrase “celebrate the victory” in a charged context and a later clarification in Canada that “no one is saying October 7 was right” — have prompted scrutiny from critics and defenders alike.

Advocacy groups contend Hamdi’s detention is part of a broader pattern under the current administration of revoking visas for foreign nationals associated with pro-Palestinian activism; earlier this year, Cornell graduate student Momodou Taal — a dual UK-Gambian citizen — also had his visa revoked and later chose to leave the U.S. voluntarily amid deportation proceedings.

ICE records indicated Hamdi remained in custody in California as of Monday afternoon while arrangements for his voluntary departure were underway. CAIR and Hamdi’s legal team say they will continue to monitor the process to ensure his safe return to the UK.

What remains unclear

Key questions still include whether U.S. authorities will publicly release documentation explaining the visa revocation and the precise legal basis for Hamdi’s detention. Supporters have called for transparency, while officials maintain the action was taken for immigration and national-security reasons.