Salah Sarsour, president of the Islamic Society of Milwaukee, was taken into federal immigration custody on Monday after agents followed him from his home and boxed in his vehicle, according to the mosque. The group says he was first taken to an ICE processing facility near Chicago and later moved to a detention center in Indiana, a chain of transfers that has the local Muslim community demanding to know why he was picked up in the first place.
According to WISN 12 News, immigration agents tailed Sarsour as he left his home, surrounded his car and placed him in custody. WISN reported that he was then taken to the ICE facility in Broadview, Illinois, and later transferred to a detention center in Indiana. The outlet noted that the Islamic Society reached out to the Department of Homeland Security and ICE for comment and had not yet heard back.
In a statement quoted by WISN 12 News, the Islamic Society of Milwaukee said Sarsour has lived in the Milwaukee community for more than 32 years and is a lawful permanent resident. “We are calling on the U.S. government to immediately release Mr. Sarsour,” the statement read, urging officials to uphold First Amendment rights and “U.S. values of freedom, fairness and the rule of law.”
Broadview processing center and transfers
Broadview has been used as a short-term ICE processing center near Chicago, listed at 1930 Beach Street, where people arrested in the region are often booked and then transferred to long-term detention facilities. The Chicago Sun-Times has documented protests and legal battles over the Broadview site, while the Global Detention Project has tracked transfers from Broadview to county jails in Indiana.
Legal context
Federal immigration law allows ICE to detain lawful permanent residents and to begin removal proceedings when it alleges grounds for deportability, with those cases typically heard in immigration court. Rules governing how removal proceedings start and what notice a person receives are laid out in federal regulations, including 8 CFR 1239.1, which covers the notice to appear in immigration court.
What comes next
The Islamic Society says it will continue to press for answers and for Sarsour’s immediate release while community leaders weigh next steps. It remains unclear whether federal prosecutors will file charges or whether Sarsour will be placed in formal removal proceedings, and the basis for his detention has not been made public. Local advocates are calling on elected officials and civil-rights groups to push for transparency as the case unfolds.
