ICE arrests Milwaukee mosque president over alleged terror ties, immigration fraud

Federal immigration authorities have detained the president of the Islamic Society of Milwaukee, accusing him of past criminal activity and misrepresentations on his immigration records.

Salah Sarsour, 53, was taken into custody earlier this week, according to both federal officials and the mosque. He has lived in the United States for more than three decades as a legal permanent resident, and was detained Monday. Officials say he entered the country in 1993.

The Department of Homeland Security said Sarsour is “suspected of funding terror organizations” and alleged he provided false information during the immigration process.

The agency also cited a prior conviction, stating he was “convicted for throwing Molotov cocktails at ⁠the homes of Israeli armed forces.”

The Islamic Society of Milwaukee disputed the circumstances of the arrest. A statement on its website said, “He was pulled over while driving by over 10 ICE agents with no cause,” adding that Sarsour was transferred from Wisconsin to facilities in Chicago and later Indiana.

The mosque said Sarsour is “being targeted on the basis ‌of his ⁠Palestinian and Muslim background, and his advocacy for Palestinian rights,” and denied any connection to extremist groups.

According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, deportation filings reference Sarsour’s arrest as a teenager in the West Bank. Othman Atta, the mosque’s executive director, said those records are being used to argue that Sarsour provided material support for extremism. Atta also said Sarsour was convicted in an Israeli military court during his youth.

This is a breaking news story. Refresh for updates.