Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have detained Salah Salem Sarsour, the 53-year-old president of the Islamic Society of Milwaukee, Wisconsin’s largest mosque, in a targeted operation in Milwaukee. Federal authorities describe the Jordanian national as a convicted terrorist who allegedly falsified information on his green card application upon entering the United States more than 30 years ago.
Allegations from Federal Officials
Sarsour, a prominent community figure and businessman, faces deportation proceedings. Department of Homeland Security officials state he was convicted abroad for throwing Molotov cocktails at homes of Israeli armed forces personnel. Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis announced the arrest, declaring, “Salah Salem Sarsour is a terrorist convicted for throwing Molotov cocktails at the homes of Israeli armed forces. This illegal alien from Jordan lied on his green card application to gain legal status in the US.”
Bis added, “Thanks to President Trump and ICE, this terrorist is out of American communities. This Administration will always put the safety of the American people FIRST and Make America Safe Again.”
Sarsour entered the U.S. in 1993 as a conditional resident and obtained lawful permanent status in 1998. Despite lacking a U.S. criminal record, authorities classify him as a terrorist based on prior foreign activities. He also faces accusations of fundraising for the Holy Land Foundation, which federal agents raided in 2001 for funneling $12 million to Hamas. Five foundation leaders received prison sentences, though Sarsour escaped formal charges.
Connections to Rep. Rashida Tlaib
Sarsour co-hosted a 2018 campaign event for Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib, a Detroit native of Palestinian descent who became one of the first two Muslim women in Congress after winning her election. Tlaib, a vocal critic of Israeli policies, drew censure attempts in 2023 over her pro-Palestinian statements.
Defense and Community Response
Othman Atta, executive director of the Islamic Society of Milwaukee, notes that primary allegations stem from Sarsour’s teenage years in the West Bank. “He had been arrested, and this is something that he talked about quite a bit — how he was abused and tortured while in custody,” Atta said. He added that Sarsour endured two years in Israeli custody without understanding Hebrew-language charges.
The Muslim Legal Fund of America, representing Sarsour, asserts he has resided legally in the U.S. for over 32 years as a law-abiding Milwaukee business owner with six U.S. citizen children. “Salah’s story represents precisely the immigrant-refugee success story that should be celebrated, not demonized,” the group stated, decrying the arrest as targeting due to his Palestinian and Muslim background.
Agents pulled Sarsour over while driving, involving 10 ICE personnel, before transferring him to facilities in Chicago and Indiana. The Islamic Society of Milwaukee calls the claims fraudulent, stating Sarsour was arrested as a minor by Israeli military forces, held without charges, and subjected to violent interrogation in a court lacking due process standards.
The arrest sparks community outrage, with a rally held Thursday in support of his release. Sarsour’s son, Kareem, addressed supporters, describing his father as “the person you called if you had a problem.”
