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The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
World
Michael Sainato

ICE detains British journalist after criticism of Israel on US tour

man in suit speaks at lectern with hand gestured
Sami Hamdi, speaks at the 17th Palestine Convention in Tinley Park, Illinois, on 30 November 2024. Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images

The British journalist Sami Hamdi was reportedly detained on Sunday morning by federal immigration authorities at San Francisco international airport, and the Council on American-Islamic Relations (Cair) says that action is apparent retaliation for the Muslim political commentator’s criticism of Israel while touring the US.

A statement from Cair said it was “a blatant affront to free speech” to detain Hamdi for criticizing Israel’s ongoing military campaign in Gaza while he engaged on a speaking tour in the US. A Trump administration official added in a separate statement that Hamdi was facing deportation.

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