Milwaukee Islamic leader speaks after returning home from months-long federal detention
By Adam Rife
Click here for updates on this story
MILWAUKEE (WDJT) — Sarsour was given a hero’s welcome upon his return to Milwaukee Thursday evening, June 18.
Several hundred people gathered at the Islamic Society of Milwaukee, where Sarsour serves as president.
Many people cried openly as he embraced family, friends, and supporters for the first time in 80 days.
On Thursday, Kate Brady, one of Sarsour’s attorneys told us their team was always confident in this detention case, claiming Sarsour’s 1st Amendment rights were violated when he was detained.
Brady claims it was clearly retaliation for Sarsour’s criticism of the treatment of Palestinians.
Sarsour spoke briefly Thursday evening and said, “I am back to serve my community. Who I am so proud of.”
He thanked supporters, including a local organization called Jewish Voices for Peace, which traveled to the Indiana detention center to demonstrate on his behalf.
Sarsour said he was home thanks to “A lot of support. And because of great people like you, and people of freedom, that stood with justice, that’s why I’m back. I owe this to my community.”
Though freed, Sarsour’s immigration case is still pending.
The Department of Homeland Security claims Sarsour funded terror organizations and lied on immigration forms.
After Sarsour’s release, DHS said in a statement:
“Sarsour is a terrorist convicted for throwing Molotov cocktails at the homes of Israeli armed forces and illegally attempting to possess weapons and ammunition. He first submitted an application for an immigrant visa at the American Consulate in Jerusalem, which was denied due to these convictions in Israel.”
Sarsour did not take any questions Thursday evening and went inside to pray.
A full news conference is scheduled for Friday afternoon, where Sarsour and his attorneys will speak more about his immigration case.
Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.