In a separate case, a federal judge has ordered the release of the Palestinian president of Wisconsin’s largest mosque from immigration custody. The judge found that the man had presented a significant free speech argument, claiming he was detained for advocating Palestinian rights.

Sarsour, a legal permanent resident of the United States, was apprehended by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on March 30. Federal authorities justified the detention by labeling him a foreign policy threat.

However, Sarsour’s legal team argues that his detention was a response to his outspoken stance against Israel.

U.S. District Judge James Patrick Hanlon, appointed by President Donald Trump, stated that ICE and the Department of Homeland Security failed to provide sufficient evidence to refute Sarsour’s claims of being targeted for his free speech. Additionally, the government did not adequately explain why, after over 30 years of lawful residency, Sarsour was suddenly considered a threat.

Islamic Society of Milwaukee President Salah Sarsour smiles shortly after his release from a county jail in Indiana, where he was detained after his arrest by ICE agents in March. (Yaseen Najeeb via AP)

“The mere invocation of foreign relations concerns does not automatically trump First Amendment rights,” Hanlon wrote.

The judge ordered officials to release Sarsour from the Indiana county jail where he was being held, allowing him to return to his home in Milwaukee while his immigration case continues. He was released just a few hours after Hanlon’s ruling.

“I am so relieved to be with my family. For 80 days, I haven’t been able to step outside and breathe fresh air,” Sarsour said in a statement. “This experience is a reminder to all of us that we must fight together for our right to be a voice for the silenced. I will never stop speaking for Palestine and humanity, wherever I am.”

Sarsour has Type 2 diabetes and lost more than 30 pounds while he was in custody. His attorneys said his blood sugar levels were only checked once a month in the jail, putting him at risk of organ failure or even death.

His legal team said in a statement that they were ecstatic about his release and that he never should have been detained. They said the ruling is “a sober reminder that, if the government can target Mr. Sarsour, everyone’s free speech rights are at risk.”

Salah Sarsour is a legal permanent resident in the U.S. (Islamic Society of Milwaukee via AP)

DHS described Sarsour as “a terrorist who was convicted of throwing Molotov cocktails” and any allegations of discrimination by ICE agents are false.

Sarsour has no criminal record in the U.S., but the agency appeared to be referring to his conviction by the Israeli Ramallah Military Court in 1989 for throwing a Molotov cocktail and stones at Israeli army forces. He was later convicted by the same court in 1995 of attempting to hold weapons and ammunition. Sarsour has denied committing those crimes.

The Israeli military courts have faced criticism over the years surrounding allegations of limited due process and high conviction rates of Palestinians, although Israel has pushed back on those accusations.

Hanlon wrote that the federal government has been aware of the charges against Sarsour for 25 years and considered them at least four times when evaluating his eligibility for naturalization. Despite this, the judge wrote that the government did not detain Sarsour until this year.

DHS described Salah Sarsour as “a terrorist who was convicted of throwing Molotov cocktails” and claimed that any allegations of discrimination by ICE agents are false. (David Maung/Bloomberg)

Attorneys for DHS and ICE Sarsour does not have the same First Amendment rights as U.S. citizens, but Hanlon rejected that argument, writing that people who enter the U.S. lawfully are invested with the same rights guaranteed by the Constitution to everyone residing in the country.

The judge additionally said that Sarsour’s deep ties to the community and his health concerns were also considered in ruling in favor of his release. Sarsour has a spouse, six children and nine grandchildren who are all U.S. citizens.

“We’re getting our dad back!” Salah’s son, Kareem Sarsour, said in a statement. “This experience has been a nightmare to wake up to every day, with his health at risk in a cruel basement cell simply for speaking up for Palestine. But we know who my dad is, he’s a voice for the voiceless and the heart of our family and our community. I can’t wait to hug him, and I hope everyone like him will be released.”

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A suspect linked to a fatal shooting in Pomona was apprehended Thursday night following a prolonged chase with California Highway Patrol (CHP) officers. The pursuit began in the Castaic area and concluded in Lancaster when authorities effectively deployed a spike strip and executed a PIT maneuver to halt the vehicle.

The chase was initiated just hours after gunshots were reported around 3:30 p.m. near the intersection of Monterey and Garey avenues in Pomona.

According to NBC 4, one individual lost their life in the incident. Meanwhile, a prior report by CBS indicated that at least two people suffered injuries, though the status of the survivors remains unclear.

The suspect was reportedly driving a black Kia, which was sought by the Pomona Police Department as part of their investigation into the shooting.

The California Post has contacted the Pomona Police Department for further remarks on the situation.

California Highway Patrol officers later spotted a vehicle matching the description near Castaic Lake and attempted a traffic stop.

Instead of stopping, the driver fled, leading officers on a pursuit that reached speeds of up to 85 mph on the northbound 5 Freeway near Castaic and Smokey Bear Road.

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At one point, the suspect exited the freeway and continued onto surface streets in the Castaic area before heading north on Lake Hughes Road through the Newhall area.

During the chase, the driver briefly went off the roadway and was seen throwing several objects from the vehicle.

Around 6:15 p.m., the pursuit continued through remote areas along Lake Hughes Road before entering Lancaster roughly 30 minutes later.

Aerial footage showed multiple CHP units closely following the vehicle as officers waited for an opportunity to safely end the chase.

Just after 7 p.m., officers deployed a spike strip on West Avenue K, damaging at least two of the Kia’s tires and slowing the vehicle dramatically.

With the suspect running out of options, CHP officers then executed a PIT maneuver near 20th Street West and West Avenue K, forcing the vehicle to a stop.

Video from the scene showed the driver stepping out of the Kia and surrendering as officers approached with weapons drawn.

The suspect was taken into custody without further incident.

The CHP told The Post that the driver was arrested at the scene.

Additional details about the deadly shooting investigation, including possible charges, were not immediately released.

The tragic deaths of a well-known couple discovered unresponsive in their SUV on a California highway are believed to be due to medical reasons, according to police reports.

Judith ‘Judy’ Wyler Sheldon, aged 84, and her husband, Wylie Sheldon, aged 86, were found in their Jeep Compass on Interstate 5 near Lake Shasta this past Monday.

Judith was the daughter of William Wyler, a former Army veteran who became a renowned director, working with iconic Hollywood figures such as Audrey Hepburn, Charlton Heston, Barbra Streisand, and Laurence Olivier, creating some of film history’s most memorable classics.

The couple was discovered by California Highway Patrol officers with the vehicle’s engine still running, shortly before 6 p.m.

While authorities do not currently suspect foul play, they are exploring whether the scorching 107-degree temperatures that day might have played a role in their deaths as they await the results of the autopsy.

‘It was the hottest day of the year so far, or second hottest. I’m sure there’s always a possibility that excessive heat played a role,’ Lieutenant Josh Smith of the California Highway Patrol told SFGate. ‘But I can’t confirm that without a medical exam.’

According to the CHP, Judy Sheldon was behind the wheel while her husband was seated in the passenger seat. The vehicle’s engine was still running when the officer approached.

A second officer and emergency medical personnel responded to the scene and attempted life-saving measures, but both were pronounced dead.

CHP investigators say they do not suspect foul play in the deaths of Judy Wyler Sheldon, 84, and her husband Wylie Sheldon, 86, who were found unresponsive inside their SUV. The pair are pictured in 2019

Judy Sheldon was behind the wheel while her husband Wylie was seated in the passenger seat when they were found, according to CHP

The couple were discovered on a remote stretch of Interstate 5, one of California’s busiest  transportation corridors. Pictured a view of Mt. Shasta in Northern California

‘We don’t have a lot of information now,’ Smith said. ‘An autopsy has not been performed yet. We’re waiting to hear when they’ll schedule that.’ 

Smith said investigators are contacting relatives and friends while also retracing the couple’s journey from the Bay Area to identify where they may have stopped before reaching the area where they were found.

Authorities said the couple had been traveling to the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland, Oregon.

Redding and surrounding areas were under an extreme heat warning on the day the couple died.

The deaths have stunned members of California’s arts and film communities, where Judy Sheldon had long been a respected figure.

‘We are reeling from this news,’ Anita Monga, artistic director of the San Francisco Silent Film Festival, said in a statement. ‘Judy and Wylie were very dear to us, supportive and a positive presence at all our events.’

For many in San Francisco’s cultural circles, the Sheldons were known as much for their hospitality as their philanthropy.

William Wyler, Judy Sheldon’s father, directed Hollywood classics including Roman Holiday, Ben-Hur, Mrs. Miniver and The Best Years of Our Lives, winning three Academy Awards 

Judy Wyler Sheldon, 84, daughter of Oscar-winning director William Wyler, was found dead  inside a running SUV near Redding, California. She is pictured here in her youth

Their home frequently served as a gathering place for visiting film archivists, musicians and cinema enthusiasts attending festival events.

Judy Sheldon spent decades championing silent-film preservation and played a central role in the San Francisco Silent Film Festival. 

After serving as president of the organization’s board, she later became its longtime chair.

‘I used to joke with her that she was our Frank Sinatra – Chairman of the Board,’ Monga recalled.

Monga said the Sheldons regularly opened their home to festival guests and supporters.

‘Judy would allow, actually encourage, our visiting film archivists and musicians to pose for pictures with her father William Wyler’s Oscars,’ she said. ‘The perfect hosts.’

The loss was still difficult to process, Monga added.

‘I’m sorry to not be more articulate; this loss is so devastating.’

William Wyler was one of the most acclaimed directors in Hollywood history, winning three Academy Awards for Best Director during a career that spanned more than four decades

Stacey Wisnia, executive director of the San Francisco Silent Film Festival, said Sheldon was a familiar face at virtually every event she could remember over more than two decades.

‘Completely unassuming, she could always be found in the theater lobby engaged in lively conversations with festival musicians, special guests, and audience members,’ Wisnia said.

She added that she would miss Sheldon’s ‘warmth, curiosity, and charming stories about her travel adventures and her father, the great director William Wyler.’

‘She was a San Francisco treasure,’ Wisnia said.

Born Judith Wyler in Los Angeles, she spent much of her life preserving and celebrating cinema history. 

Although she briefly appeared on screen during the 1950s, earning credits in productions including The Errol Flynn Theatre, The Buccaneers and BBC Sunday-Night Theatre, her lasting legacy came through her work behind the scenes as an advocate for film preservation.

She became especially devoted to protecting silent-film history and played a major role in promoting awareness of early cinema. 

The San Francisco Silent Film Festival lists her as chair of its board, reflecting years of involvement with the organization.

In a 2007 interview, Sheldon explained that her passion for the festival grew after she attended a retrospective dedicated to her father’s silent-era films in Pordenone, Italy. 

The experience helped deepen her commitment to preserving a vital chapter of film history.

 Film director William Wyler is seen talking to a cast member on the set of his western ‘The Big Country’ in 1957. Wyler died in 1981 at the age of 79

American actress and singer Barbra Streisand on the set of the movie Funny Girl with director William Wyler in 1968

Her influence extended well beyond the world of silent cinema. She also served in leadership roles supporting San Francisco’s cultural institutions and was listed as a co-chair for a gala hosted by San Francisco Performances during its 43rd season.

The loss carries an added historical resonance because of her family’s place in Hollywood history.

Her father, William Wyler, an Army vet who served in the Air Force as a Lieutenant Colonel in World War II, remains one of the most acclaimed directors ever to work in American film. 

Across a legendary career, he directed classics including Roman Holiday, Ben-Hur, 

The Best Years of Our Lives, Mrs. Miniver and Wuthering Heights. 

He won three Academy Awards for Best Director, a feat achieved by only a handful of filmmakers.