Wife of British journalist Sami Hamdi arrested by ICE fears for his health after ‘medical emergency’ in custody
The wife of a British journalist detained by ICE has called for the journalist’s immediate release after suffering a “medical emergency” in custody.
Sami Hamdi was arrested by agents at San Francisco International Airport on October 26 as part of the Trump administration’s ongoing crackdown on immigrants. The 35-year-old father of three, an outspoken critic of Israel’s war in Gaza, was on a speaking tour in the US when he was detained.
His wife Soumaya Hamdi told Independent She said on Monday that her husband’s health had deteriorated while in custody.
“He called me on Saturday and I could barely hear him on the phone,” Hamdi’s wife said. “He was clearly struggling to speak clearly and said: ‘Soumaya, I’m in so much pain.’ I’ve been wanting to see a doctor for hours. They didn’t bring me a doctor. ‘I need you to help me find a way to help me see a doctor.'”
The journalist told his wife that the pain was in the left side of his stomach. It was learned that Hamdi was finally seen after calling the British consulate, his lawyers and the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), which regulates his legal representation. Hamdi was told he might have a “serious case of gastroenteritis” but his wife said she “felt better after vomiting.”
Describing the conditions of his detention, his wife said he lived in a “very crowded” area where 80 to 90 people were crammed into a single room and shared bunk beds.
While her immigration hearing was postponed from Nov. 6 to Nov. 10 because of an error on the form, she said her children miss their father. The couple, who met while they were students at university, have been married for 15 years and have a 10-year-old daughter and two sons, one six years old and the other ten months old.
“My six-year-old son recently learned to read and write and he keeps sending funny messages to Sami and wondering why he doesn’t reply,” his wife said. “He doesn’t understand why his father isn’t answering him. It’s very sad.”
Her parents were also left “absolutely devastated” by her ordeal. “His family is very worried,” his wife said. “They can’t eat properly or sleep properly. They were really worried when he had this health issue over the weekend. It’s very stressful.”
She called on the British and American governments to release her husband as soon as possible. While her lawyers’ habeas corpus request to prevent her from being transferred to another prison was granted, Ms. Hamdi said she should not have been there in the first place.
“He’s a British citizen with a valid visa there, it’s been too long anyway,” he said. “Waiting until the 10th is too long. Congress needs to investigate ICE detentions because they set a terrible precedent that will endanger the free speech of American citizens.”
The mother of three described her husband as “the kind of person who brings people together.”
“He always wanted everyone to find common understanding regardless of their differences,” he said. “It’s really Semitic.”
His wife added that Hamdi presided over multi-religious discussions between leaders of the Jewish, Christian and Muslim faiths.
Department of Homeland Security Deputy Undersecretary Tricia McLaughlin expressed no regret in her statement following the journalist’s arrest.
“Those who support terrorism and undermine American national security under President Trump will not be allowed to work or visit this country,” he said. “That’s common sense.”
The official cited a report by advocacy group RAIR that the Southern Poverty Law Center previously reviewed. Described as an anti-Muslim hate group About Hamdi in the post announcing the arrest. RAIR accused Hamdi of supporting terrorism and operating with foreign terrorist networks through various speeches, but he and his team denied these allegations.
Independent It has contacted ICE, DHS and the UK Foreign Office for comment.
