The Spanish government is facing mounting pressure over a pending decision on a U.S. extradition request for James “Fergie” Chambers, a U.S. citizen and prominent donor to leftwing and humanitarian causes who is currently detained in Madrid. Chambers’ legal team has submitted a brief challenging the extradition ahead of a key meeting of Spain’s council of ministers scheduled for September 22.

Chambers, 41, is accused by U.S. authorities of laundering $7.5 million, funds allegedly sent from a U.S. bank to Tunisia to support the Palestinian group Hamas. Details of the indictment remain sealed. His defense argues that the funds were intended for humanitarian aid and other projects, not terrorism, and contend that the U.S. government has not linked Chambers to any specific acts of violence or direct damages. They also highlight legal discrepancies, noting that the charge of “conspiracy to commit riot” cited by the U.S. has no equivalent under Spanish law, which could undermine the extradition request.

This case marks the first known attempt by the U.S. to extradite a citizen for alleged support of Hamas. Chambers’ legal representative, human rights lawyer Baltasar Garzón, stated that allowing extradition would set “an alarming precedent” across Europe by criminalizing humanitarian support to Palestinians. Garzón emphasized that Chambers’ contributions encompass roughly 100 projects across 20 countries, including aid in Gaza.

Chambers’ partner, actor and activist Stella Schnabel, has actively lobbied Spanish parliamentarians, particularly from progressive parties in the governing coalition, urging denial of the extradition. Schnabel has also appealed directly to Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, who is a member of the council deciding the case. Schnabel reported scrutiny by U.S. authorities, including an incident in which the FBI confiscated her phone at New York’s JFK airport.

Political figures in Spain have voiced opposition to the extradition. Ione Bellara, leader of the leftwing Podemos party, described Chambers as being “on the right side of history” for his support of Palestinians. Similarly, Sumar, a leftist coalition governing alongside Sánchez’s Socialists, filed a congressional statement warning that the extradition request aims to criminalize Chambers for his political views and activism. European Parliament member Irene Montero underscored that Spanish law does not criminalize the alleged offenses and cautioned against bending to U.S. pressure.

Public demonstrations in support of Chambers have been held in at least six Spanish cities, with plans for continued rallies. Internationally, a petition with signatures from notable figures such as Richard Gere, Greta Thunberg, and Angela Davis has been submitted to Spanish authorities. Support has also emerged in Tunisia, where fans of the Club Africain football team—an organization Chambers reportedly funded—have displayed pro-Chambers messages, as well as at Portugal’s Festa do Avante cultural festival.

Chambers’ history of activism includes financing legal defense for a UK group proscribed as a terrorist organization and expressing strong criticism of both Israel and the U.S. Following Hamas attacks on Israel in October 2023, he publicly denounced Israel’s military response as genocide. He has also called for the destruction of the United States to promote global prosperity.

Organizers of recent pro-Chambers protests in Spain describe the case as a wider test of U.S. influence on European governments and a potential precedent for targeting political activists across the continent. As the council of ministers prepares to decide in the coming days, the outcome of Chambers’ extradition request remains uncertain.