06/19/2026
Locked Up Despite Having a Green Card: Wisconsin Faith Leader Released After 80 Days in "Cruel" ICE Custody
A federal judge has ordered immigration authorities to immediately release Wisconsin resident Salah Sarsour, who spent nearly three months inside an ICE facility despite holding a valid U.S. green card for close to thirty years.
Sarsour is a prominent community figure and serves as the president of the Islamic Society of Milwaukee. In March 2026, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents intercepted and detained him after the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) alleged that he had submitted fraudulent details on his 1998 permanent residency application.
However, U.S. District Judge James Patrick Hanlon determined that Sarsour presented compelling evidence indicating his detention was likely a retaliatory measure tied to his public activism, specifically his vocal support for Palestinian human rights. The judge emphasized that while federal officials had been fully aware of the historical allegations against Sarsour for decades, they chose to suddenly lock him up only recently.
Upon his release, Sarsour returned home to Milwaukee and was greeted by hundreds of jubilant supporters from the local Islamic Society. Addressing the crowd, he expressed deep gratitude to his community for their unwavering solidarity and vowed to persist in his public service.
Despite the ruling, the Department of Homeland Security is holding its ground. A DHS representative defended the agency's actions, reiterating past accusations that Sarsour had previously been convicted of throwing a Molotov cocktail at the residences of Israeli military personnel and maintained that his U.S. immigration status was secured through deception. Sarsour has consistently maintained his innocence regarding those foreign convictions.
The federal court clarified that this specific order strictly assesses the legality of his ongoing detention and does not represent a final resolution regarding his pending deportation case.
According to the judicial mandate, Sarsour is permitted to remain home in Wisconsin on personal recognizance but must attend all future immigration hearings and cooperate fully with processing until a definitive verdict is reached.