Immigration Judge Allows Deportation of Wisconsin Mosque Leader Salah Sarsour

On Wednesday, an immigration judge decided that federal authorities can deport Salah Sarsour, the leader of Wisconsin’s biggest mosque, based on national security concerns.

Marco Rubio, Secretary of State, invoked federal immigration law in June 2025, stating that Sarsour’s presence in the United States could negatively impact foreign policy. The government highlighted Sarsour’s past convictions in Israel, including incidents involving rock-throwing at military personnel and attempts to obtain weapons, as reasons he poses a national security threat.

A government attorney accused Sarsour of throwing a Molotov cocktail at IDF personnel, but Sarsour’s lawyer contested this, stating that while accused, Sarsour was never convicted of such an act.

Following his release from county jail in Indiana, where he had been detained after being arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents earlier in March, Sarsour expressed relief and determination to fight the charges.

A Department of Homeland Security (DHS) representative told Fox News Digital Rubio had “reasonable grounds” to believe Sarsour’s presence in the U.S. could harm foreign policy and that he had engaged in or supported terrorist activities.

An FBI memorandum from 2001 detailed claims from Sarsour’s brother, Jamil, alleging Sarsour’s involvement in fundraising for the Holy Land Foundation, an organization closed by the government for terror affiliations linked to Hamas. Additionally, Jewish Insider reported Sarsour had made a Facebook post expressing a wish for Gaza people to succeed and acknowledge language hinting at punitive desires towards Gaza’s adversaries.

A DHS announcement confirmed a targeted Milwaukee operation, involving the U.S. Marshals Service, led to Sarsour’s arrest for suspected involvement with terror funding and falsifying immigration documents.

Under the previous administration, DHS stated that lawbreaking led to consequences, and criminal illegal aliens faced due process in the U.S.

Sarsour, a lawful permanent resident according to court records, and his legal team argued that the Trump administration targeted him politically over his stance on the Israel-Gaza conflict. He claimed Israeli authorities coerced a confession through torture.

Sarsour’s lawyers also criticized the lengthy wait to seek removal if he was deemed a national security risk after living in the country for 30 years.

Sarsour vowed to appeal the judge’s deportation ruling, declaring his commitment to defend free speech and his right to remain in the U.S., his home for over three decades.

Lawyers representing Sarsour were unavailable for comment when approached by Fox News Digital on Thursday.