Freedom, Justice & Joy: Action for Salah
April 16, 2026
United States Senator Tammy Baldwin
United States Senator Ron Johnson
United States Congressman Bryan Steil
United States Congressman Mark Pocan
United States Congressman Derek Van Orden
United States Congresswoman Gwen Moore
United States Congressman Scott Fitzgerald
United States Congressman Glen Grothman
United States Congressman Tom Tiffany
United States Congressman Tony Weid
We, the undersigned, write to you today to urge action after our neighbor and Palestinian American Mr. Salah Sarsour was abducted by ICE on Monday, March 30th. It has been more than two weeks since he was taken without cause to a detention facility out of state, with few details and even less public visibility being given.
Despite the apparent uncertainty nationwide, here in Wisconsin we are committed to freedom and justice being for all. As organizations deeply committed to protecting those rights for Wisconsinites everywhere, we know that we must vocally advocate for marginalized communities including our Palestinian neighbors. And as our elected Congressional Delegation, we have entrusted and charged you with the responsibility to protect the civil rights of everyone who calls our state home.
We can appreciate that intentions may be good, and at times, it is easy to be uncertain about what action to take. As such, allow us to be helpful.
Statements, no matter how strongly worded or expertly delivered, will not bring Mr. Sarsour home. They won’t protect the scores of vulnerable Wisconsinites. And they won’t bring accountability and justice for the blatant infringement on nonnegotiable rights.
Instead, we suggest some concrete examples of action you can take today to uphold your responsibilities to Wisconsin and its people:
Established regular and transparent communication with the public via a coordinated press liaison.
Use the official channels to which you and your offices have access in order to advocate for the brief that has been filed in federal court calling for Mr. Sarsour’s release with an amicus curiae brief, as this case has major human rights and civil rights implications.
Use those same channels to investigate and terminate the use of controversial and unverifiable data sourced from the internet being used by ICE as the basis for a growing number of detentions of pro-Palestinian advocates.
Thank you for your willingness to hold public office. The responsibilities that come with your positions are immense, and we offer our support as you work hard to fulfill them on behalf of all Wisconsinites in this tense, ongoing situation that, if allowed to continue its current, un-checked path, endangers us all.
With respectful urgency,
All In Wisconsin Fund
Citizen Action WI
African American Roundtable
Chippewa Valley Indivisible
Comité Sin Fronteras
Common Cause WI
Fair Wisconsin
Franklin Resists
Grassroots Germantown - Indivisible
Grassroots Menomonee Falls Area
Grassroots North Shore
Indivisible Dane County WI
Indivisible MKE
Indivisible South Shore
Indivisible West Bend
Indivisible Winnebago, Wisconsin
JOSHUA
Leaders of Kenosha
Lutheran Office for Public Policy in Wisconsin
Milwaukee Area Labor Council
Milwaukee Innercity Congregations Allied for Hope
The Milwaukee Islamic Dawah Center
The Milwaukee Turners
Muslim Women's Coalition
Northern Yearly Meeting of Quakers
Oregon (WI) Area Progressives
Power Up Eau Claire
Racine Coalition for Peace and Justice
Rapid Response Network of Wisconsin
ReImagine Kenosha
ReImagine Ashland
RUTH
SE WI Indivisible
Our Wisconsin Revolution
Waukesha Resist
Western Dane Democracy Project
WisConscience Indivisible
Wisconsin Council of Churches
Wisconsin Democracy Campaign
Wisconsin Faith Voices for Justice
Wisconsin Muslim Civic Alliance
WISDOM
Worth Fighting For Wisconsin
See the full letter here.
