Salah Salem Sarsour, the President of the Islamic Society of Milwaukee, was arrested on suspicion of funneling money to terror networks
Federal agents arrested Salah Salem Sarsour, a Jordanian national and president of the Islamic Society of Milwaukee, on suspicion of funding terror organizations and lying on his immigration forms, the Department of Homeland Security announced Thursday.
Sarsour, 53, was taken into custody Monday by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the U.S. Marshals Service after agents surrounded his vehicle as he left his home. He remains in ICE custody pending removal proceedings.
DHS officials described him as a convicted terrorist who threw Molotov cocktails at the homes of Israeli armed forces and illegally attempted to possess weapons and ammunition in Israel. His initial immigrant visa application was denied because of that record, yet he entered the U.S. in 1993 as a conditional resident and obtained a green card in 1998 after what authorities say were false statements on his forms.
“Salah Salem Sarsour is a terrorist convicted for throwing Molotov cocktails at the homes of Israeli armed forces. This illegal alien from Jordan lied on his green card application to gain legal status in the U.S.,” Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis said in a statement. “Thanks to President Trump and ICE, this terrorist is out of American communities. This Administration will always put the safety of the American people FIRST and Make America Safe Again.”
Sarsour has led the Islamic Society of Milwaukee, Wisconsin’s largest mosque, for five years in a volunteer role. Critics have long raised concerns about the organization’s leadership and its connections to networks scrutinized for ties to Palestinian activism, including the American Muslims for Palestine.
While mosque officials called the arrest politically motivated and praised Sarsour as a longtime community advocate, federal authorities highlighted his foreign conviction and suspected terror financing as reasons he never should have remained in the country.
Sarsour’s deep ties to the Democrat Party of Wisconsin have drawn renewed scrutiny. As a prominent figure in Milwaukee’s Muslim community, he cultivated relationships with local Democratic elected officials and clergy who quickly rallied to demand his release, framing the operation as an attack on free speech regarding Israel.
Such alliances reflect a broader pattern in which some Wisconsin Democrats have embraced leaders from organizations with histories of anti-Israel activism, even as federal agencies uncover national security risks.
The arrest is part of the Trump administration’s intensified efforts against known or suspected terrorists. DHS noted that ICE has arrested thousands of potential national security risks since the president took office.
Sarsour’s case, officials said, exemplifies why vetting and removal of criminal aliens with foreign terror convictions must remain a priority to protect U.S. communities.
