President of Islamic Society of Milwaukee Detained by ICE Amid Immigration Dispute

President of Islamic Society of Milwaukee Detained by ICE Amid Immigration Dispute
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Salah Sarsour, president of the Islamic Society of Milwaukee and a pro-Palestinian activist, was taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on Monday, April 2. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) accused Sarsour of lying on his immigration forms, citing a past conviction in Israel for throwing Molotov cocktails at Israeli military targets.

Sarsour, who grew up in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and has lived in the United States since 1993, has been a legal resident for over three decades. Supporters and community leaders describe him as a respected figure with no criminal record in the U.S. and assert that his arrest is politically motivated due to his Palestinian activism.

The Islamic Society of Milwaukee held a press conference Thursday attended by around 200 people, with family members and supporters holding signs reading “Free Salah Sarsour” and calling for his release. His oldest son, Kareem Sarsour, emphasized the family impact, noting that Sarsour has six children and nine grandchildren.

DHS confirmed Sarsour received his green card in 1998 but maintains that he falsified information on his application. Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis said the agency views Sarsour as a convicted criminal who misrepresented his past to obtain U.S. immigration status.

Sarsour is represented by the Muslim Legal Fund of America and is scheduled to appear before the Chicago Immigration Court on April 13, although his legal team expects the hearing may be rescheduled. Local attorneys stress Sarsour’s intention to contest the allegations and seek to vindicate himself in court.