The wife of a British journalist who was held for more than two weeks by US immigration authorities has issued a stark warning to football fans planning to attend the 2026 World Cup in the United States.
Detention Without Warning
Sami Hamdi, who returned to the UK on Thursday 13th November 2025, was initially detained at San Francisco International Airport on 26th October. US officials revoked his visa without warning while he was on a speaking tour during which he had criticised Israel's actions in Gaza.
Speaking to The World With Yalda Hakim alongside her husband, Soumaya Hamdi expressed serious concerns about British citizens travelling to the US. "I would say to British citizens who value their freedom of speech to be very careful, because you got the World Cup in the United States coming up next year," she stated.
She emphasised the broader implications of her husband's case: "If this could happen to Sami on a valid visa, a British citizen, a registered journalist, then it could very well happen again."
Disappointing Government Response
The couple revealed their dissatisfaction with how the UK government handled their situation. Ms Hamdi didn't mince words when she said: "The assistance that we received from the British government... was really very disappointing."
She expressed deeper concerns about the diplomatic relationship: "I think this is really very concerning that the government is not taking more serious action with regards to our closest ally."
Mr Hamdi, who is Muslim and lives in London, described his arrest as "quite an aggressive experience." He recounted the dramatic moment of his detention: "They escorted me outside of the airport, there was this black car, the kind of things you see in the movies. When I asked them 'Can I call my family to let them know I'm OK?', a lady from behind grabs me, pushes me on the car, and says, 'All right, that's enough. You're under arrest'."
Alleged Political Motivation
Mr Hamdi insisted he had complied with all visa conditions and alleged that his detention was directly linked to his advocacy for Gaza. He described his treatment in detention as deliberately oppressive, noting they kept him in foot cuffs for 24 hours until his legs became visibly swollen.
He observed a distinct change in his treatment when media outlets like Sky News began covering his case. "They only started treating me better when everybody at Sky News and the other media started raising their voices," he revealed.
According to Mr Hamdi's legal team, he ultimately accepted an offer to leave the US voluntarily after being charged with visa overstay. The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) had stated that his speaking tour was cancelled due to security rules and that he was in the country illegally.
The Trump administration has pursued a sweeping immigration crackdown this year, revoking visas for people accused of supporting terrorism and deporting foreign nationals who have voiced support for Palestinians.
After Mr Hamdi's arrest, a spokeswoman for the US Department of Homeland Security stated his visa had been revoked as "those who support terrorism and undermine American national security will not be allowed to work or visit this country."
However, Mr Hamdi strongly disputed this reasoning: "On the charge sheet... there was no mention of anything related to terrorism or anything related to what they were saying online. They knew no evidence existed of any of the accusations they were making."
His family announced on Monday that the US government had agreed to free him, and confirmed on Thursday morning that he was on a flight home to the UK.
