Federal Judge Orders Deportation of Milwaukee ImamâWhy Auroraâs Faith Communities Are Watching
A federal immigration judge in Chicago ruled Wednesday that Salah Sarsour, longtime president of the Islamic Society of Milwaukee, can be deported based on national security grounds tied to convictions in Israel from the 1990s. The decision has sent ripples through Muslim communities across the Midwestâincluding right here in the Fox Valley.
Sarsour, 62, has lived in the U.S. for over three decades. Government attorneys argued his past affiliation with the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestineâa group designated as a terrorist organizationâmakes him removable, despite his decades of interfaith work in Wisconsin. His attorneys call the case politically motivated, noting the convictions stem from his teenage years in the West Bank during the First Intifada.
For Auroraâs estimated 5,000 Muslim residentsâmany worshipping at the Islamic Center of Naperville, Masjid Al-Taqwa on Farnsworth, or the Aurora Mosque on Claim Streetâthe case feels uncomfortably close. âWhen leadership at a major Midwest institution is targeted, everyone pays attention,â said Ahmed Rehab, executive director of CAIR-Chicago, which has fielded calls from concerned families from Elgin to Oswego.
Local immigration attorneys note the ruling relies on a rarely used provision allowing removal based on âforeign convictionsâ without requiring a U.S. criminal record. That precedent could affect green card holders with decades-old records abroadâa reality for many in Auroraâs immigrant corridors along Eola Road and New York Street.
The Islamic Society of Milwaukee has announced an appeal. Meanwhile, Aurora faith leaders are organizing a âKnow Your Rightsâ clinic next Saturday at the Aurora Public Libraryâs Santori branchâopen to all residents navigating an increasingly complex immigration landscape.
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