Salah Sarsour, president of Wisconsin's largest mosque and a 53-year-old Palestinian-born legal permanent resident, was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents on Monday in Milwaukee. According to multiple reports, over 10 ICE agents were involved in the operation.
Key Takeaways
ICE arrested Salah Sarsour, president of Wisconsin's largest mosque and a Palestinian-born legal permanent resident, after he left his home on Monday. Supporters allege political motivation behind the arrest.
- ICE detained Salah Sarsour, president of the Islamic Society of Milwaukee
- DHS accuses him of lying on immigration forms about past convictions involving attacks on Israeli targets
- Attorneys claim the arrest is politically motivated due to his advocacy for Palestinian rights
- Local officials and civil rights groups call for his immediate release
Sarsour was transferred to a detention facility in Chicago before being moved to a county jail in Indiana. His attorneys claim the arrest stems from his past convictions by Israeli military courts and his advocacy for Palestinian rights. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed Sarsour's arrest, accusing him of lying on immigration forms about previous convictions involving attacks on Israeli targets.
According to Fox News, DHS Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis characterized Sarsour as a terrorist and accused him of lying on his green card application. The agency alleges he improperly obtained lawful permanent resident status in 1998 under President Bill Clinton's administration. CBS News reported that Sarsour has lived in the U.S. for over 30 years, with no criminal record here.
Sarsour has been the volunteer president of the Islamic Society of Milwaukee (ISM) for five years. Supporters, including local officials and civil rights groups, have called for his immediate release. Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson described the arrest as 'an outrage,' stating that Sarsour is a legal permanent resident with no substantive evidence of wrongdoing in the U.S.
Attorneys representing Sarsour have filed a writ of habeas corpus and a temporary restraining order, alleging the Trump administration is using the immigration system to target individuals for protected speech related to Palestine. Hundreds of people gathered at the ISM in protest of Sarsour's detention, with religious leaders describing him as a valuable community member.
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