British journalist Sami Hamdi is set to be released from US custody two weeks after he was detained by immigration enforcement, his family said on Monday.US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested Hamdi, a media commentator and outspoken critic of Israel, last month while he was on a speaking tour in the US.The State Department and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) alleged at the time that Hamdi supports terrorism and poses a threat to national security, while his lawyers have argued he was targeted for criticising Israel and its war in Gaza.Hamdi will be released from ICE detention in the next few days and return to the UK, his representatives say.Hamdi was visiting the US to speak at events for the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), a Muslim advocacy group, when ICE officers arrested him at the San Francisco International Airport on 26 October. His detainment came after the US government revoked Hamdi’s visa and criticism from far-right political activist and Trump ally Laura Loomer, who accused him of supporting terrorists. “We’ve said it before, 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 said of Hamdi at the time he was detained. The BBC has reached out to the US State Department, ICE, and DHS for comment and confirmation of the agreement to release Hamdi.Lawyers for Hamdi and the California chapter of CAIR said in a Monday statement that they welcome an agreement allowing Hamdi to voluntarily return to the UK instead of facing deportation. They said he was targeted for speaking aga …
