An immigration judge has ruled that Salah Sarsour, president of the Islamic Society of Milwaukee, can be deported under a rarely used national-security provision of US law. The ruling concerns his legal removability; it does not mean he has already been deported.
Case and legal basis
The provision was invoked by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in 2025. Sarsour was detained by immigration authorities in March 2026 and later released from a county jail in June, according to reporting on the case. His lawyer says he intends to appeal and continue fighting the decision.
A contested case
Sarsour is a prominent Palestinian-American community leader and a vocal supporter of Palestinian rights. The government’s national-security argument and the evidence cited in immigration proceedings have been disputed by his legal representatives. The judge’s ruling moves the case forward but leaves further legal steps available.
The case has drawn attention because the clause is rarely used and because deportation proceedings can have serious consequences for an individual and his family. The next stage will depend on the appeal process and any further court rulings. Until those steps conclude, the judge’s decision should be described as a finding that he is deportable, not as a completed removal.
