Press conference becomes huge rally for ISM president taken by ICE

Photos by Cherrie Hanson

Hundreds of people came in support of the Islamic Society of Milwaukee president, Salah Sarsour, who was taken out of state Monday by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.

Cars filled the almost 500 spaces of the Islamic Society of Milwaukee’s Salam School parking lot, then spilled into the lots of adjacent businesses in the late afternoon yesterday as hundreds of people arrived to show support for ISM president Salah Sarsour, who was taken by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents Monday and is being held in Indiana.

Milwaukee Turners legal observers stood outside. They “document law enforcement encounters with civilians to make sure that civilians’ rights are being respected, defending our constitutional right to free speech and assembly,” Milwaukee Turners’ website explains. In the lobby, Milwaukee4Palestine members handed out information sheets on “Ice & Your Rights,” with information in English and Arabic.

Inside the gym ISM uses for community events, supporters filled chairs that stretched in rows across the wide floor. Others stood, squeezed in the back of the room or lined along the periphery. Many held signs—some printed in white lettering against a blue background, others handwritten on cardboard—that said, “Free Salah Sarsour.” The diverse crowd of Greater Milwaukee faith and community leaders, activists, elected officials, Muslim community members and concerned citizens showed up for an afternoon press conference that was planned in the late morning and first announced at 11:19 a.m. on social media.

Greater Milwaukee faith and community leaders, activists, elected officials, Muslim community members and concerned citizens filled the Islamic Society of Milwaukee Community Center.

The absence of Sarsour himself felt tangible. The five-year ISM president and long-time leader of the Greater Milwaukee Muslim community attended practically every ISM gathering, interfaith event, protest for Palestinian rights and fundraiser for refugee services, student scholarships, mosques and local Muslim organizations. He joined Milwaukee’s Rohingya community to celebrate the academic success of their children and joined the Muslim Women’s Coalition in encouraging the ISM to be a major sponsor of the City of Milwaukee’s Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day celebration.

Yesterday, the crowd showed up for him.

Unitarian, Buddhist, Catholic, Jewish, Lutheran and Muslim faith leaders came in a broad show of support for Salah Sarsour and his family.

Communities stand with Salah Sarsour

Leaders and members of multiple local and statewide faith, political activism and civic groups attended the press conference and posted statements of support online, including imams and leaders from Greater Milwaukee’s mosques, Interfaith Conference of Greater Milwaukee, Muslim Women’s Coalition, Milwaukee Inner-City Congregations Allied for Hope, Arab and Muslim Women’s Research and Resource Institute, Jewish Voice for Peace, the Wisconsin Coalition for Justice in Palestine, Wisconsin Christians for Justice in Palestine, Peace Action Wisconsin, Milwaukee Turners, Milwaukee4Palestine, Palestinian Youth Movement, the Milwaukee Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, Freedom Road Socialist Organization, AFD Local 212, Indivisible MKE, Voces de la Frontera and others.

Elected officials in attendance included Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, State Representative Francesca Hong and alders from several cities and towns in and around Milwaukee County.

Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley greets Janan Najeeb, Muslim Women’s Coalition’s executive director.

National organizations have also expressed support for Sarsour. A letter signed by prominent national Muslim organizations called Sarsour “a beloved community leader … a father, a grandfather, a dear husband, and a kind and principled role model for countless people in Milwaukee and beyond … a pillar of the community and a law-abiding Milwaukee business owner.” It condemned “this abduction and usurpation of our community leader’s rights” that left his family “scrambling to determine his whereabouts and his condition.” It was signed by the Islamic Society of Milwaukee, Muslim Legal Fund of America, American Muslims for Palestine, the U.S. Council of Muslim Organizations, the Council on American-Islamic Relations, Muslim American Society, Islamophobia Studies Center, Palestine Center for Public Policy, Islamophobia Studies Journal and the Northern California Islamic Council.

Since Monday, Atta has constantly fielded calls from around the nation from people concerned about Sarsour. “The reason people from around the United States are calling is because Salah has helped people all over the States,” Atta added.

Left to right, Rev. Dennis Jacobson, a founder of Milwaukee Inner-City Congregations Allied for Hope and Rev. Joseph Jackson, Jr., vice president of MICAH

Missed at home

A dozen journalists sat or stood in front, flanking several TV cameras on tri-stands, recording the event on cell phones and jotting notes as leaders from the Milwaukee community explained what Sarsour means to them.

“Salah Sarsour is a person who people in and outside our community view as being a great leader—a Muslim leader, a Palestinian leader, an activist, a family man, a humanitarian, a philanthropist,” Atta said, adding with a smile, “He’s also known as a big Teddy Bear because he is loved by so many.

“Salah Sarsour has been living here for over 32 years, helping the community here, being active here, being active for Palestine, being active for the Muslim community, being active for (the Milwaukee) community,” Atta said. “Any time anyone needed assistance, everyone knows—everyone—Salah was always at the forefront. He was always there.”

Salah Sarsour’s family joined his eldest son Kareem, who said his father is “a person we need to celebrate.”

Sarsour and his wife have six children and nine grandchildren. Atta called them and Sarsour’s siblings to the front and asked Kareem, his oldest son, to tell the crowd about his father.

From an early age, his father was nicknamed “Abu Kareem,” he said. “It means ‘a generous person.’ He didn’t believe in taking, only giving … My dad was unable to finish school but he made sure that “every single one of his kids had a college degree. … He pushed so hard for that.

“He was a person you would call if you had a problem, if you felt down or sad and wanted someone to cheer you up, or if you wanted to hear a joke,” Kareem said. “He was that person you could always count on. He didn’t see people by their mistakes, but he saw what they can do and what they can accomplish.”

“He’s a person we need to celebrate,” Kareem said. He described his father as “strong, courageous and a believer, a pillar for our family and the community. The way he cared for his mom is a role model for us.

“He told us that character defines who you are … He said the words ‘give up’ are not in our dictionary. We will keep fighting for him until justice prevails, until he’s reunited with his family, his grandkids and the new grandkid who’s coming next week or so.”

Community leaders speak up

ISM Imam Rami Bleibel said, Salah Sarsour is walking the path of prophets—Joseph, Moses, Jesus and Mohammad—being persecuted unjustly “because they became the voice for the voiceless. Salah stood with the vulnerable, regardless of their faith or their background.”

Bishop Paul Erickson of the Greater Milwaukee Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America drew applause by saying, “If we’ve learned anything over the centuries, it’s that we cannot let fear silence us. We must stand firm, we must stand together and we must raise our voices until the dignity of all is respected! We must embrace the truth that none of us is free until all of us are free!”

Islamic Society of Milwaukee Imam Rami Bleibel applauds the words of Bishop Paul Erickson of the Greater Milwaukee Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

“We know when they come for Salah Sarsour, they come for all of us,” said Rachel Ida Buff, Ph.D., a professor of immigration history and a co-founder of the Milwaukee Chapter of Jewish Voice for Peace, who also represented Voces de la Frontera and the Wisconsin Coalition for Justice in Palestine. “Immigrants are bearing the brunt of a wave of brutal repression. This administration, with its devastating and unpopular policies in the United States and around the world, wants to silence all authentic voices of resistance.

“Salah is active in the movement for the liberation of Palestine. His advocacy for the cause is the true cause of his arrest and detention because this administration tolerates no dissent. His detention is intended to scare him, to scare all of us, to silence the voices of resistance, but we are not afraid.”

“I have known Brother Salah for years,” said Wisconsin Muslim Civic Alliance and Wisconsin Muslim Civic Foundation executive director Fauzia Qureshi. “I have seen him show up for families in crises, for young people who need a chance, for neighbors who needed someone in their corner … He’s the kind of man this country claims to celebrate.

“On Monday, more than 10 ICE agents snatched Brother Salah, a lawful permanent resident who has lived here in Milwaukee for more than 30 years. There is no evidence he has done anything wrong. They took him out of state and left his family terrified.

“This was not a routine immigration enforcement action. This was a targeted, politically motivated arrest designed to send a message to every Palestinian, every Muslim, every immigrant in the city—be silent or you’re next … They took him because he is a visible, effective leader. They thought arresting him would make us feel smaller. Instead, it has made us louder! Just look at this group (here today).”

WMWC and WMCF executive director Fauzia Qureshi (left) and Alan Chavoya with Milwaukee Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (right) share a few words.

Janan Najeeb, founder and executive director of the Muslim Women’s Coalition, called Sarsour “a political prisoner,” noting that “Mr. Sarsour’s abduction came on the heels of Gov. Evers ignoring his massive Democratic base and voting with the ‘Israel First’ and ‘Israel at all Costs’ Republicans and pro-Netanyahu Jews who pushed for the IHRA (International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance bill), which applies a broad definition of antisemitism. It targets people who criticize Israel, essentially denying First Amendment rights to American citizens who criticize Israel.”

MWC joins local and national organizations, elected officials and faith communities in calling for Sarsour’s release, she said. “This administration and its bully ICE agents will not destroy our democracy, nor will they silence us when it comes to Palestine or any other genocide or illegal wars they impose.”

Othman Attan, executive director of the Islamic Society of Milwaukee, answers questions from the press.

Concerns about the case

“The U.S. government (is) attacking an upright, honest, religious, helpful individual, a family man, a man who cares about others, a man who was proud of what he was able to accomplish, a man who raised his kids and now his grandkids, a man who was helping the community excel and expand, and do things for so many people,” Atta said. “And he was targeted for one thing, because he dared to stand up to the Israeli government.”

On X.com/ICEgov, ICE posted a photo of Sarsour and wrote it had “arrested a Jordanian national with a prior conviction of throwing a Molotov cocktail at the homes of Israeli Forces. He lied on his immigration application and became a green card holder under President Clinton. This terrorist will remain in ICE custody pending removal proceedings.”

Atta and ISM board member and treasurer Munjed Ahmad, both attorneys, said ICE’s case against Sarsour is not accurate. Atta noted that Sarsour “was held without charges as a minor in Occupied Palestine and he was interrogated for more than 80 days in a row, which included being placed in painful stress positions and other forms of torture. He was given many documents to sign, all in Hebrew. Due to the torture, he signed things that he did not understand.” The U.S. government knew about that case before granting him a green card, he added.

ISM executive director Othman Atta

WMCA and WMCF executive director Fauzia Qureshi

“What’s happening is an affront to our constitution,” declared Ahmad. “I didn’t become a lawyer just to become a lawyer. I became a lawyer because I believed in the Constitution.

“There’s a pattern of infringement on Constitutional rights by this government,” he continued. “This is no different (than other cases), but far more reaching. There has not been a person who has been arrested, persecuted, abducted and kidnapped by the government that has such a high profile, not just in Milwaukee but in the United States.

But “Americans have woken up and know what is happening, that our government is doing the bidding of a foreign government while they are undermining the rights of every single American. We cannot let this government get away with it. We cannot let America turn into a fascist country.”