US judge rules Wisconsin mosque leader Salah Sarsour can be deported

Sarsour’s lawyers say the decision threatens free speech protections and plan to fight the ruling.A United States immigration judge has ruled the leader of Wisconsin’s largest mosque can be deported under a controversial law that United States President Donald Trump’s administration has used against non-citizens advocating for Palestinian rights.Judge Jayme Salinardi ruled on Wednesday that Palestinian-born Salah Sarsour, president of the Islamic Society of Milwaukee, can be removed from the US based in part on a memo by Secretary of State Marco Rubio that “his actions undermine US foreign policy to combat antisemitism around the world”, according to his lawyers.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4Trump admin asks top US court to reverse pro-Palestinian scholar’s releaselist 2 of 4Palestinian Americans meet US lawmakers as Trump seeks $2.8bn for Israellist 3 of 4US judge orders release of Palestinian rights advocate detained by ICElist 4 of 4Rights groups, Milwaukee leaders slam ICE’s arrest of Palestinian advocateend of listSarsour, who has lived in the US for more than three decades, called the ruling “deeply disappointing”.“I will continue fighting to defend the right to free speech and to stay in the country I have called home for more than three decades,” he told The Associated Press news agency.His lawyer, Patrick Taurel, strongly rejected the decision.“I wish the world could see the evidence that we presented and hear the testimony that the court heard because the case we presented compels only one conclusion, which is that Salah is not deportable,” Taurel told reporters on Wednesday.“He’s done nothing wrong. He should be given back his green card, frankly, with an apology for what’s being done to him.”The ruling does not mean Sarsour will be immediately deported.His lawyers have 60 days to argue that sending Sarsour back would put him at risk of torture, which could protect him from deportation under the Convention Against Torture. If they lose, they plan to appeal. Taurel said he can’t be deported while that appeal is pending and will remain in the US for the “foreseeable future”.