A US federal judge has ordered the release of Salah Sarsour, a Muslim leader who claimed his detention by immigration authorities was retaliation for his outspoken support of Palestine. Judge James Patrick Hanlon ruled that Sarsour raised a 'substantial' claim that he was targeted for speech protected under the First Amendment.

Hanlon dismissed the Trump administration's assertions that pro-Palestinian speech undermines US foreign policy interests, stating: 'The mere invocation of foreign relations concerns does not automatically trump First Amendment rights.' The ruling came amid a broader crackdown by the Trump regime on pro-Palestine activists, using national security claims.

Sarsour, a legal permanent resident of the US for nearly 32 years, was released hours after the decision. He celebrated the ruling as a free-speech victory, saying: 'I am so relieved to be with my family. For 80 days, I haven’t been able to step outside and breathe fresh air.'

Lawyers for Sarsour, who has type 2 diabetes, said he lost over 30 pounds during his nearly three months in detention. He is president of the Islamic Society of Milwaukee, the largest mosque in Wisconsin. On March 31, he was pulled over by ICE agents and transferred to a detention facility in Indiana.

The Department of Homeland Security labeled Sarsour a 'criminal and a terrorist,' accusing him of lying on his green card application about a conviction by an Israeli military court for throwing stones and Molotov cocktails. Sarsour denied the charges, which rights groups say are frequently used against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank.

Judge Hanlon also questioned why the Trump regime suddenly considered Sarsour a threat after more than three decades in the US. He ordered Sarsour returned to Wisconsin to remain at home while his case proceeds. The ruling is seen as a setback for the Trump regime's efforts to deport pro-Palestine activists under the Immigration and Nationality Act.

Source: www.aljazeera.com