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Islamic Society of Milwaukee president detained by ICE
The president of the Islamic Society of Milwaukee has been detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, the organization said in a statement.
MILWAUKEE - U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is detaining the president of the Islamic Society of Milwaukee, Salah Sarsour.
Local leader detained
What we know:
ICE records show Sarsour is detained at a federal detention center in Indiana.
The Islamic Society of Milwaukee said ICE agents followed Salah Sarsour on Monday as he left his home, surrounded his vehicle, and took him into custody.
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The society said Sarsour has been a legal resident of the Milwaukee community for over 32 years, and is a lawful permanent resident, whose wife and all six children are citizens.
In a statement, ICE pointed to charges in Israel dating back decades for "throwing a Molotov cocktail at the homes of Israeli armed forces and illegally attempting to possess weapons and ammunition."
The Islamic Society of Milwaukee acknowledged Israel arrested Sarsour twice, including once as a teenager in the West Bank.
"He was seized by the occupying Israeli forces and, as a minor, subjected to Israeli brutality and torture, and eventually tried and sentenced on fraudulent charges by an Israeli military ‘court’. When Mr. Sarsour came to the United States in September 1993, the U.S. government was aware of his record," the society stated.
The Muslim Legal Fund of America is representing Sarsour as he fights deportation. The group filed a writ of habeas corpus along with a request for a temporary restraining order against the detention.
Support for Sarsour
Local perspective:
Supporters, including Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowely, packed the Islamic Society of Milwaukee Community Center on Thursday, April 2, questioning the arrest.
"He was the person you called if you had a problem, if you felt down, if you were sad, if you wanted someone to cheer you up or if you wanted to hear a joke," said Kareem Sarsour, son of Salah Sarsour. "He was that person that you can always count on."
Speakers at a news conference alleged the U.S. government was detaining Sarsour solely because of politics.
"He was targeted for one thing because he dared to stand up to the Israeli government," said Othman Atta of the Islamic Society of Milwaukee.
Criticism of Sarsour
The other side:
A scholar with George Washington University's Program on Extremism said Sarsour's detention may be tied to historical investigations.
"Understanding the history of the original U.S.-based Hamas network in this country is important to understanding why government action was taken against Salah Sarsour, which does not have anything to do with free speech," said Lara Burns, George Washington University Program on Extremism. who is also a retired FBI special agent. "I think that you have to peel back the curtain just a little bit and actually look at the facts of Mr. Sarsour’s history."
ICE responds
Dig deeper:
FOX6 asked ICE to explain the rationale for the arrest.
"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 U.S.," said Homeland Security Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis.
In a statement, ICE says it worked with the U.S. Marshals Service to arrest Sarsour.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents (Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
The statement says Sarsour's first application for an immigrant visa was denied due to the conviction.
"He ultimately entered the United States in 1993—under the Clinton administration—as a conditional resident. After lying on his application, he became a green card holder in 1998 under President Clinton."
However, Othman Atta of the Islamic Society of Milwaukee told FOX6 that Sarsour had explained the arrests during his visa interview, which was recorded.
Islamic Society of Milwaukee statement
What they're saying:
"Throughout his years in the United States, Mr. Sarsour has been a successful businessman who employed many citizens and who has always been willing to help those in need. Mr. Sarsour has an exemplary record, with no charges or convictions of any kind. Mr. Sarsour is a shining model of what can only be seen as an American success story. Mr. Sarsour has been detained and is being threatened with deportation for only one reason: the U.S. government is carrying out its stated objective of prioritizing Israel, criminalizing advocacy for Palestine and targeting individuals who speak up against Israeli atrocities and condemn complicit officials in our government."
The Islamic Society of Milwaukee has also created a fundraising page to support Sarsour.
"We will keep fighting for him until justice prevails, until he's out, reunited with his family and his grandkids and the new grandkid that's coming up next week," his son said.
"This criminal and terrorist will remain in ICE custody pending removal proceedings," stated ICE.
The Source: The information in this post was gathered through federal government records, information from the Islamic Society of Milwaukee, Immigration and Customs Enforcement.