U.S. immigration authorities detained the president of Wisconsin's largest Islamic organization this week, alleging he had been convicted of crimes by Israel more than three decades ago and provided false information on his American green card application. Salah Sarsour, 53, who has led the Islamic Society of Milwaukee for five years, was taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.

A spokeswoman for the Homeland Security Department, Lauren Bis, stated that Mr. Sarsour was convicted of throwing Molotov cocktails at the residences of Israeli armed forces members and unlawfully attempting to possess weapons and ammunition. Ms. Bis added that Mr. Sarsour's initial attempt to secure a visa for entry into the United States had been rejected due to his Israeli criminal record. He subsequently entered the U.S. as a conditional resident in 1993 and obtained a green card in 1998. The specific inaccuracies on his green card application were not detailed by Ms. Bis.

In contrast, the Islamic Society of Milwaukee stated that Mr. Sarsour is a legal permanent resident who has resided in the United States for over three decades. Othman Atta, the executive director, recounted that Mr. Sarsour was collecting mail in Milwaukee on Monday morning when approached by an armed individual in plain clothes, followed by a dozen more plain-clothed men who identified themselves as ICE agents before detaining him. Mr. Sarsour was reportedly transferred from a Chicago-area detention facility to one in Indiana.

Mr. Atta asserted that the conviction cited by authorities is fraudulent and dates back to Mr. Sarsour's teenage years in the occupied West Bank, prior to his immigration to the U.S. He claimed Mr. Sarsour had been arrested, abused, and tortured during custody, and did not fully comprehend the Hebrew charges presented by Israel. Mr. Sarsour has no criminal record in the United States.

Mr. Sarsour is a prominent advocate for Palestinian rights and a board member of American Muslims for Palestine, which described him as "a pillar of the community and a law-abiding Milwaukee business owner." The Muslim Legal Fund of America, representing Mr. Sarsour, has filed a writ of habeas corpus. Kathryn Brady, head of the fund's Immigration Litigation Department, stated that the U.S. government thoroughly vetted his visa application nearly 33 years ago and suggested the current detention might stem from a violation of his First Amendment rights regarding his advocacy for Palestinians.

Democratic State Senator Chris Larson, representing parts of Milwaukee County, expressed concern over the detention of Mr. Sarsour, whom he described as a community leader, grandfather, and lawful neighbor. The Israeli embassy in Washington did not respond to requests for comment regarding the arrest.