US can deport the leader of Wisconsin's largest mosque on national security grounds, judge rules

Key Points:

• An immigration judge ruled that Salah Sarsour, leader of Wisconsin's largest mosque and advocate for Palestinian rights, can be deported to Israel or the Palestinian territories on national security grounds despite previous rulings favoring his release.
• Sarsour, detained by ICE in March, faces deportation based on decades-old Israeli convictions related to stone-throwing and weapons possession, which he denies, claiming torture and coerced confessions.
• His attorneys argue deportation to the West Bank would put his life at risk and challenge the possibility of deportation to Jordan, which Sarsour has no connection to and where he would likely be handed over to Israeli authorities.
• The judge gave significant weight to a 2025 memo from Secretary of State Marco Rubio labeling Sarsour a foreign policy risk, aligning with efforts by the Trump administration to deport other Palestinian rights advocates.
• Sarsour plans to appeal the ruling, citing his right to free speech and the risk of torture upon deportation, while highlighting concerns over medical neglect during his ICE detention.