British journalist and media commentator Sami Hamdi, widely known for his outspoken criticism of Israel, has been arrested in the United States by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency.
While on a speaking tour in the U.S. over the weekend, Hamdi was detained by ICE officers, and his visa was revoked, according to Tricia McLaughlin, spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), who confirmed the news on social media platform X.
McLaughlin said that Hamdi is currently being held in ICE custody pending deportation, BBC reported.
The State Department and Department of Homeland Security claim that Hamdi supports terrorism and poses a threat to national security, while a Muslim civil rights organization argues that he is being politically targeted in violation of his freedom of speech.
“We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: The United States has no obligation to host foreigners who support terrorism and actively undermine the safety of Americans,”
the State Department wrote on X regarding Hamdi’s detention.
The State Department further stated that it will continue to revoke visas for individuals involved in such activities.
Neither the DHS, the State Department, nor ICE responded to BBC’s request for evidence supporting the allegations that Hamdi supports terrorism.
