Sami Hamdi, a British journalist and political commentator, was detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) authorities at San Francisco International Airport on 26 October. Together with its affiliate, the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) in the UK and Ireland, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is concerned about the apparent misuse of anti-terror legislation and the fact that, as a result, freedom of expression is being undermined by US authorities. The IFJ calls for Hamdi’s immediate release.
US immigration authorities detained Hamdi at San Francisco International Airport, revoked his visa and stated that he would be deported rather than allowed to complete his speaking tour. Tricia McLaughlin, a spokesperson for the US Department of Homeland Security, confirmed that the journalist is in ICE’s custody.
He was detained hours after he participated in an event of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), a US-based Muslim civil rights and advocacy group, in Sacramento, California. According to CAIR, Hamdi was in the middle of a speaking tour in the US and was expected to speak at another event in Florida on 26 October.
The US Department of State shared a post on X stating: “the United States has no obligation to host foreigners who support terrorism and actively undermine the safety of Americans. We continue to revoke the visas of persons engaged in such activity […]”.
NUJ Assistant General Secretary Séamus Dooley said: “We share the concerns expressed by the IFJ at the arrest and detention of Sami Hamdi. The circumstances surrounding his detention give cause for serious concern. There is no evidence that, as a journalist, he is guilty of a terrorist offence and he should be released.”
IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger said: “The arrest of Sami Hamdi constitutes a serious violation of his fundamental rights and poses a grave threat to freedom of expression and democratic principles. We are deeply concerned by the apparent misuse of anti-terror legislation, which risks setting a dangerous precedent for journalists and citizens engaging in public debate and exercising their right to free speech.”