British Commentator Sami Hamdi Detained by ICE at SFO

British Commentator Sami Hamdi Detained by ICE at SFO
Above: Sami Hamdi at the 17th Annual Convention for Palestine, in Illinois on Nov. 30, 2024. Image copyright: Jacek Boczarski/Anadolu/Getty Images

The Spin

Pro-establishment narrative

America's visa system rightfully protects national security by removing foreign nationals who support terrorism or threaten public safety. Immigration law explicitly allows visa revocation for those endorsing terrorist organizations like Hamas, and recent campus protests have shown foreign students intimidating Americans and shutting down universities. Visiting America is a privilege reserved for those who respect its laws, not a right for those seeking to destroy the nation from within.

Anti-Trump narrative

Trump's deportation campaign represents dangerous government censorship disguised as anti-terrorism enforcement, targeting peaceful critics of Israeli policies rather than actual security threats. Conflating legitimate criticism of Israel with antisemitism cheapens real antisemitism concerns while destroying First Amendment freedoms. This authoritarian overreach silences necessary debate about Gaza and threatens to transform America into a censorship state like Viktor Orban's Hungary.

Metaculus Prediction



The Controversies



Go Deeper


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© 2025 Improve the News Foundation. All rights reserved.Version 6.17.1

© 2025 Improve the News Foundation.

All rights reserved.

Version 6.17.1