A federal judge has ordered the release of Salah Sarsour, the president of Wisconsin’s largest mosque, after finding that immigration officials likely detained him in retaliation for his public advocacy for Palestinian rights.
U.S. District Judge James Patrick Hanlon issued the order Thursday, allowing Sarsour to leave custody on personal recognizance while his legal case continues. The ruling requires him to remain in Wisconsin but does not require him to pay a cash bond.
Sarsour has lived in the United States for more than three decades and became a legal permanent resident in 1998. According to the court order, he describes himself as a stateless Palestinian, while Immigration and Customs Enforcement says he is a Jordanian citizen. His lawyers said he has been a longtime community leader and should not have been detained.
The case has drawn attention because it raises questions about immigration enforcement, political speech and Palestinian rights advocacy. Sarsour serves as a board member of American Muslims for Palestine, an advocacy group that has faced scrutiny from federal officials and conservative groups.
TRENDING TODAY
According to the court order, Secretary of State Marco Rubio had signed a memo to the Department of Homeland Security describing Sarsour as deportable, despite his green card, because his actions allegedly undermined U.S. foreign policy on combating antisemitism. The memo also accused the advocacy group of involvement in activities connected to funding Hamas.
Sarsour’s legal team rejected the government’s claims and argued that his detention was politically motivated. They said the government was targeting him because of his protected speech on Palestinian rights.
ICE officers arrested Sarsour on March 30, reportedly using several unmarked vehicles. He was later held at the Clay County jail in Indiana. His lawyers said he lost 30 pounds while detained and faced health risks related to diabetes.
The federal government argued that Sarsour should be deported based in part on two convictions from more than three decades ago in Israel. Those convictions reportedly involved throwing a Molotov cocktail and attempting to store weapons and ammunition. Sarsour denies committing those crimes.
Judge Hanlon said those old convictions did not appear to justify his detention now, noting that the federal government had known about them for decades and still approved his legal permanent residency and citizenship application.
The judge also found that Sarsour’s advocacy for Palestinian rights was core political speech protected by the First Amendment. The order said Sarsour had presented enough evidence to support a reasonable inference that his speech was at least one motivating factor in the government’s decision to detain him.
Homeland Security officials have defended the detention and described Sarsour as a security threat, citing the old convictions. Government lawyers also argued that Sarsour did not have the same First Amendment protections as U.S. citizens.
The judge rejected the government’s request to release him only under strict conditions, including a $25,000 bond, an ankle monitor and home confinement.
Sarsour’s legal team called the release a victory for his family and a warning about the risks of using immigration enforcement against political speech.
Why It Matters
The case matters because it touches on immigration law, national security claims and First Amendment protections. The judge’s order suggests that the government may have used detention to retaliate against protected political advocacy.
It also raises broader questions about whether non-citizens with legal status can be targeted for speech that is unpopular or politically sensitive.
What Comes Next
Sarsour’s immigration and legal cases will continue while he remains released under court conditions. Federal officials may continue to pursue deportation, while his lawyers are expected to challenge the government’s claims.
The case could become an important test of how courts handle free speech claims when immigration enforcement and national security allegations overlap.
A federal judge ordered the release of a Wisconsin mosque leader after finding that his detention was likely tied to protected speech.
A federal judge in the US has ordered the release of Salah Sarsour, a Muslim leader who says his detention by ICE was retaliation for his outspoken support of Palestine https://t.co/BqcUYTre2x pic.twitter.com/Anyx8Ajd5g
— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) June 19, 2026
