The president of Wisconsin’s largest mosque was detained by federal immigration agents, drawing accusations from local officials and religious leaders that the arrest was motivated by his statements against Israel.

Salah Sarsour, a Palestinian-born legal permanent resident of the United States, was taken into custody by nearly a dozen US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents on Monday in Milwaukee after he left his home, according to the Islamic Society of Milwaukee.

Supporters called for his immediate release on Thursday and his attorneys said he was detained on the grounds that he is a foreign policy threat. His attorneys say the claims have no merit.

Instead, they believe Sarsour, 53, was targeted for speaking out against Israel and for a conviction as a minor by Israeli military courts, which have faced scrutiny over allegations of limited due process and high conviction rates of Palestinians. Israel rejects those claims. The offenses included allegedly throwing rocks at Israeli officers, according to attorney Munjed Ahmad.

“Our government should not be doing the bidding of a foreign government,” Ahmad said of Israel. “There’s no question in my mind is that this is to stifle the discourse on the Palestinian narrative.”

Attorneys said Sarsour, born in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, has no criminal record in the US.

Sarsour’s attorneys have likened the case to that of Mahmoud Khalil, a former Columbia University activist who faces deportation because the federal government said he was a foreign policy threat.

An email message left on Thursday for ICE and the Department of Homeland Security was not immediately returned.

Sarsour has been the president of the Islamic Society of Milwaukee, the largest Islamic organization in the state, for five years. His attorneys say he’s held a green card for years and lived in the Milwaukee area. His wife and four adult children are US citizens.

His arrest prompted outcry from top elected officials, including Milwaukee’s mayor, Cavalier Johnson, who called it “an outrage”.

“He is a legal permanent resident. There is no substantive evidence he has done anything wrong,” Johnson said in a post on X. “This is another example of overreach and harm from the U.S. Immigration authorities.”

Sarsour is being held at county jail outside Indianapolis. His attorneys have filed a petition seeking his release.

“He is ready to fight tooth and nail to make sure that he’s not drug through the mud,” Ahmad said. “He wants to stay in this country.”

• A state law signed in March allows police to test a driver’s saliva for meth, cocaine, delta-9 THC and more if they suspect an OWI.
• No police departments appear to be adopting the test right away, but several expressed interest depending on funding and resources.
• Other states have similar programs, and the Dane and Manitowoc sheriff’s departments ran successful pilot programs in recent years.

A new state law allows police who suspect drugged driving to perform a rapid roadside test of the driver’s saliva to check for THC, opioids, meth and more, though police departments don’t appear ready to roll it out immediately.

State law already allows police to use breathalyzers to check blood-alcohol levels, but those devices don’t test for other intoxicating substances. The new law allows police to sample oral fluids – mainly saliva – when they suspect an OWI.

Law enforcement groups that advocated for the law change say drug impairment is more difficult to identify than alcohol intoxication. Plus, intoxication levels can decrease between the time police make a traffic stop and a blood sample is collected.

“Oral fluid screening would give officers an additional, objective tool to confirm the presence of drugs – much like a preliminary breath test does for alcohol – before making an arrest decision,” Dane County Sheriff Kalvin Barrett said at a December public hearing.

Wisconsin Act 99 became effective March 15, two days after Democratic Gov. Tony Evers signed it into law. The state Legislature passed it in February with bipartisan support.

Here’s what to know about the new law:

What does the law allow police to do when they suspect an impaired driver?

If police have probable cause to believe a driver is intoxicated, the officer can request a saliva or breath test, or both. That’s in addition to field sobriety tests.

The following Wisconsin Rapids-area school districts have announced closures or other changes for Thursday, April 2 due to a predicted ice storm.

As another winter storm threatens to bring significant icing across central Wisconsin Thursday, April 2, many local school districts have canceled classes or adjusted to virtual learning.

The National Weather Service has also issued an Ice Storm Warning from 1 a.m. to 10 a.m. Thursday for Wood, Portage and Waupaca counties, including Wisconsin Rapids, Marshfield, Plover, Stevens Point and Waupaca.

The storm could bring total ice accumulations between one-quarter and one-half inch of ice and winds gusting as high as 35 mph, according to the National Weather Service. Power outages and tree damage are likely with the storm due to the ice.

Travel also could be hazardous due to the icy roads. The hazardous conditions will impact the Thursday morning commute. The National Weather Service “strongly discourages” people from traveling during the warning. For the latest road conditions, call 511.

Wisconsin Rapids-area school district closures

The following Wisconsin Rapids-area school districts have announced closures or other changes for Thursday, April 2.