Salah Sarsour, the president of Wisconsin’s largest mosque, has been detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, sparking accusations that the arrest was motivated by his criticism of Israel. The Palestinian-born green card holder was taken into custody on Monday in Milwaukee by nearly a dozen agents, according to the Islamic Society of Milwaukee.
Sarsour’s attorneys say he is being held on grounds that he poses a foreign policy threat, a claim they dismiss as baseless. They argue he was targeted for speaking out against Israel and for a minor conviction in Israeli military courts, which have been criticised for limited due process and high conviction rates of Palestinians. The offences reportedly included throwing rocks at Israeli officers, said attorney Munjed Ahmad.
“Our government should not be doing the bidding of a foreign government,” Ahmad said, adding that the case is an attempt to stifle Palestinian discourse. Sarsour, 53, has no criminal record in the US, his lawyers confirmed. They have compared his case to that of Mahmoud Khalil, a former Columbia University activist facing deportation on similar grounds.
Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson called the arrest “an outrage”, stating: “He is a legal permanent resident. There is no substantive evidence he has done anything wrong.” Sarsour, who has lived in the Milwaukee area for years, is being held at a county jail outside Indianapolis. His wife and four adult children are US citizens.
Attorneys have filed a petition for his release, with Ahmad saying Sarsour is “ready to fight tooth and nail” to remain in the country. ICE and the Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
