US Court Allows Deportation of Islamist Activist Convicted of Terrorism

An immigration judge in Wisconsin has ruled that the U.S. government can deport Salah Sarsour, an Islamist activist and convicted terrorist, citing national security and foreign policy concerns. The ruling by Judge Jamie S. S. S. is considered significant as it accepts the argument that Sarsour's security background in Israel makes him a threat to U.S. national security. Sarsour's defense team had attempted to challenge the reliability of the Israeli military justice system, alleging that his confessions were extracted under torture. Sarsour, a permanent resident of the U.S. for nearly 30 years and originally from the West Bank, was imprisoned in Israel in 1988 for throwing firebombs and rocks at IDF forces during the First Intifada. He was again imprisoned in 1995 for attempting to possess weapons and ammunition. In the U.S., federal authorities have previously alleged Sarsour was involved in fundraising for the Holy Land Foundation, an organization shut down for transferring millions to Hamas. He also serves as president of the Islamic Society of Milwaukee, Wisconsin's largest mosque, and is on the board of Americans for Palestine (AMP). In 2018, he hosted a campaign event for Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib. Sarsour's defense has stated they will appeal the decision to a federal court within 30 days, suggesting the legal battle will continue and potentially draw further criticism of the Israeli justice system and Shin Bet from Muslim human rights organizations in the U.S. Sarsour himself stated that returning to the West Bank would mean "the end of his life." If deported to the West Bank, which is under Israeli security control, it could create an additional security and intelligence burden for Israel. The judge also identified Jordan as a possible deportation destination.