Ten Muslim civil rights organizations have issued a joint letter denouncing the arrest of Salah Sarsour, a Palestinian-American community leader in Wisconsin. Sarsour, president of the Islamic Society of Milwaukee and a vocal advocate for Palestine, was reportedly pulled over by ten federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents while driving on March 30, then transferred to detention facilities in Illinois and Indiana, leaving his family scrambling to determine his whereabouts. A lawful permanent resident who had lived in the U.S. for 32 years, with a wife and children who are U.S. citizens, he has remained in immigration detention since his arrest.
The groups, including the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and the Muslim Legal Fund of America, assert in the letter that Sarsour is allegedly being targeted based on his Palestinian and Muslim background. They link his detention to a broader trend under the Trump administration, which has purportedly focused on deporting immigrant activists, scholars, and foreign students for pro-Palestinian solidarity. The letter cites similar cases such as Mahmoud Khalil, Leqaa Kordia, and Mohsen Mahdawi, accusing the administration of "weaponizing the U.S. justice system to advance the interests of a foreign state, Israel," particularly amid the conflict in Gaza.
An online campaign for Sarsour’s legal defense has raised over $35,500 in donations. Meanwhile, local officials in Wisconsin have strongly criticized the arrest. Alderpersons JoCasta Zamarripa and Alex Bower called it a "nightmare," stating it represents an "illegal detention of a longtime permanent U.S. resident" and condemning ICE activities as violating due process. State Senator Chris Larson emphasized that the federal government has not publicly provided reasons for the arrest, warning that such "Unconstitutional assaults on our freedoms" threaten all citizens when individuals are targeted for their speech.
The Trump administration has not commented on Sarsour’s case, but it has taken a hardline stance against pro-Palestinian activism, including pledges during the 2024 election to crack down on protests related to Gaza. Reports indicate that the administration has moved to strip federal funds from universities with protests and arrested other permanent residents, actions that have sparked widespread condemnation as potential violations of First Amendment rights. Critics argue these measures reflect a pattern of suppressing dissent and targeting Muslim and Palestinian voices under the current U.S. regime.
Source: www.aljazeera.com