An immigration judge has ruled that Salah Sarsour, the president of Wisconsin's largest mosque and a US permanent resident for nearly three decades, can be deported under a controversial, cold war-era law. The Trump administration has sought to use this law against foreign nationals outspoken about Palestinian rights.
Sarsour was detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement in March but was released after a federal judge found his detention was likely retaliatory for his advocacy for Palestinian rights. Despite this, the administration pursued Sarsour's immigration case separately, leading to Tuesday night's decision by immigration judge Jayme Salinardi, who is reportedly retiring soon after issuing the ruling.
Sarsour's attorneys, Patrick Taurel and Luna Droubi, characterized the decision as a "setback for free speech rights" and asserted that Sarsour has done nothing wrong. They called for him to have his green card returned with an apology.
The Department of Homeland Security has previously claimed Sarsour is suspected of funding terror organizations and lying on immigration forms, allegations he denies. The DHS cited his decades-old convictions in Israel for allegedly throwing a Molotov cocktail at Israeli armed forces and illegally possessing weapons. Sarsour contends these accusations stem from his arrest as a teenager in 1989 during the first intifada, during which he claims he was subjected to torture and forced to sign documents in Hebrew without understanding them. He spent two years in an Israeli prison following a conviction in a military court system with a high conviction rate for Palestinians. He was also detained by Israeli authorities for nearly three months in 1995.
His legal team highlighted these facts during four immigration court hearings, noting the government's long-standing awareness of Sarsour's arrests in Israel. Sarsour is also a board member of American Muslims for Palestine (AMP), an advocacy group that Trump administration officials have accused of opposing US foreign policy interests. Attorneys stated that Sarsour is being retaliated against for speaking out on Palestinian human rights, a situation they believe should concern all citizens.
Sarsour, who has six children and nine grandchildren who are US citizens, called the decision "deeply disappointing" but vowed to continue his fight for free speech and justice.