A federal judge on Thursday ordered immigration officials to free the Palestinian president of Wisconsin's largest mosque from custody, ruling that the man raised a "substantial" free speech claim that he was targeted for speaking out in support of Palestinian rights.Sarsour, a legal permanent resident in the U.S., was taken into custody by U.S.Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents on March 30, with federal officials arguing he is a foreign policy threat.But attorneys for Sarsour contend that he was detained for speaking out against Israel.U.S.
District Judge James Patrick Hanlon, a nominee of President Donald Trump, wrote that attorneys for ICE and the Department of Homeland Security did not offer enough evidence to disprove Sarsour's allegations of retaliation for free speech and that the government also failed to explain why Sarsour was deemed a threat after more than three decades of legal residency in the country.PALESTINIAN ACTIVIST ACCUSED OF EXPRESSING DESIRE TO 'KILL JEWS' WINS DEPORTATION CASEIslamic Society of Milwaukee President Salah Sarsour smiles shortly after his release from a county jail in Indiana, where he was detained after his arrest by ICE agents in March.(Yaseen Najeeb via AP)"The mere invocation of foreign relations concerns does not automatically trump First Amendment rights," Hanlon wrote.The judge ordered officials to release Sarsour from the Indiana county jail where he was being held, allowing him to return to his home in Milwaukee while his immigration case continues.
He was released just a few hours after Hanlon's ruling."I am so relieved to be with my family.For 80 days, I haven't been able to step outside and breathe fresh air," Sarsour said in a statement.
"This experience is a reminder to all of us that we must fight together for our right to be a voice for the silenced.I will never stop speaking for Palestine and humanity, wherever I am."Sarsour has Type 2 diabetes and lost more than 30 pounds while he was in custody.
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