US Immigration Judge Rules Wisconsin Mosque Leader Salah Sarsour Can Be Deported

A United States immigration judge has ruled that the leader of Wisconsin’s largest mosque can be deported under a controversial law utilized by United States President Donald Trump’s administration 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 stating that his actions undermine US foreign policy to combat antisemitism globally, according to his legal team.

Sarsour, who has resided in the US for over thirty years, called the decision deeply disappointing and vowed to continue fighting for his right to free speech and to remain in the country he calls home. His attorney, Patrick Taurel, strongly rejected the outcome, stating that the presented evidence clearly demonstrates Sarsour is not deportable and should have his green card returned with an apology.

The ruling does not mean immediate deportation, as Sarsour’s lawyers have 60 days to argue that he faces a risk of torture if sent back, which could provide protection under the Convention Against Torture. If unsuccessful, they plan to appeal, during which time Sarsour will remain in the US.

Sarsour was initially detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers in Milwaukee in March, following a June 2025 memo from Rubio invoking a rarely used US law targeting non-citizens whose presence could cause serious adverse foreign policy consequences. The administration has applied this same provision to pro-Palestinian activists Mahmoud Khalil and Mohsen Mahdawi.

Although Judge Salinardi rejected government allegations that Sarsour lied on his green card application or falsely claimed to be a US citizen to vote, defense attorneys criticized the extreme deference given to Rubio's memo, noting that the judge felt bound by an earlier ruling in Khalil's case.

Separately, Sarsour is challenging his detention in federal court. A federal judge previously ordered his release from ICE custody in June after 81 days, questioning the sudden reliance on decades-old convictions from Israel dating back to 1988 and 1995, which Sarsour denies and claims followed confessions forced through torture. The Trump administration has appealed that release, arguing he remains a security threat.

Defense attorneys also challenged Israeli government records submitted by ICE as incomplete and reliant on coerced confessions, raising broader concerns about whether immigrants can freely speak on political issues without facing government retaliation. Sarsour's legal team warns that deportation to the occupied West Bank or Jordan could put his life at extreme risk.