US Immigration Judge Allows Deportation of Palestinian Community Leader Salah Sarsour

A US immigration judge has ruled that the government can deport Salah Sarsour, a Palestinian community leader who holds permanent residency in the United States, under a law dating to the Cold War era.

Sarsour is president of the Islamic Society of Milwaukee, described as the largest mosque in the state of Wisconsin. His leadership role places him at the head of a prominent local Muslim institution.

Although described as Palestinian American, Sarsour’s stated immigration status is that of a permanent resident, rather than a US citizen. That distinction is important in a case involving the government’s authority to deport him.

The ruling permits the US government to proceed with deportation, but does not establish that Sarsour has already been removed from the country. The information provided does not identify the specific law invoked, the grounds for applying it or whether he will appeal.