US judge rules Wisconsin mosque leader Salah Sarsour can be deported

A U.S. immigration judge has ruled that Salah Sarsour, the leader of Wisconsin's largest mosque, can be deported. Judge Jayme Salinardi's decision, made on Wednesday, is based in part on a memo stating Sarsour's actions undermine U.S. foreign policy against antisemitism. Sarsour, who has lived in the U.S. for over 30 years, expressed disappointment and vowed to fight the ruling, which his lawyers argue threatens free speech protections. His legal team plans to argue that deportation would put him at risk of torture and will appeal if necessary, meaning he will remain in the U.S. for the foreseeable future.

An immigration judge has ruled that Salah Sarsour, president of Wisconsin's largest mosque and a US permanent resident for nearly three decades, can be deported under a Cold War-era law. The Trump administration fast-tracked Sarsour's case after a federal judge previously found his initial detention may have been retaliatory for his advocacy for Palestinian rights. Sarsour's attorneys stated the ruling is a setback for free speech rights, while the Department of Homeland Security cited decades-old Israeli military court convictions for alleged actions as a teenager and accusations of funding terror organizations, which Sarsour denies. Sarsour, who has six children and nine grandchildren who are US citizens, vowed to continue fighting the decision.