U.S. District Judge James Patrick Hanlon ruled that attorneys representing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) failed to provide sufficient evidence to rebut Sarsour’s allegations that he was targeted in retaliation for protected speech. The judge ordered his release from a county jail in Indiana, where he had been held since March 30, while immigration proceedings continue.

Sarsour, a Palestinian-born lawful permanent resident who has lived in the United States for more than three decades, was detained after the government classified him as a foreign policy threat. His attorneys argued that the action was motivated by his public criticism of Israel and support for Palestinian rights.

In his ruling, Hanlon wrote that the government had not adequately explained why Sarsour was suddenly deemed a threat after years of lawful residence and repeated reviews of his immigration status. The judge stated that invoking foreign policy interests does not automatically override constitutional protections for free expression.

Sarsour was released several hours after the decision. In a statement, he said he was relieved to return to his family after nearly 80 days in detention and vowed to continue speaking on behalf of Palestinians and broader humanitarian causes.

The case has also drawn attention to concerns about detainee health care. Sarsour, who has Type 2 diabetes, lost more than 30 pounds during his detention, according to his attorneys, who alleged that inadequate monitoring of his condition placed him at serious medical risk. His legal team cited those health concerns as a factor supporting his release.

DHS did not immediately comment on the ruling. Earlier this month, a department spokesperson rejected allegations of mistreatment in ICE custody, stating that detainees receive adequate food and medical care, and described Sarsour as both a criminal and a terrorist.

The ruling comes amid broader scrutiny of detention conditions in U.S. immigration facilities. An investigation by KFF Health News and The Associated Press found that hundreds of detainees in at least 33 states have filed federal lawsuits alleging medical neglect while in custody.

Sarsour has no criminal record in the United States. Court records show he was convicted by an Israeli military court in 1989 of throwing a Molotov cocktail and stones at Israeli forces and in 1995 of attempting to possess weapons and ammunition. Sarsour has denied committing those offenses.

Hanlon noted that U.S. authorities had long been aware of the Israeli convictions and had considered them multiple times during reviews of Sarsour’s immigration status, including assessments related to naturalization eligibility. Despite that history, the government did not seek his detention until this year.

Government attorneys argued that Sarsour did not enjoy the same First Amendment protections as U.S. citizens. Hanlon rejected that position, writing that individuals lawfully present in the United States are entitled to constitutional protections, including free speech rights.

The judge also cited Sarsour’s longstanding community ties in Milwaukee, including his wife, six children and nine grandchildren, all of whom are U.S. citizens, as factors weighing in favor of release while the immigration case proceeds.

The Justice Department said in a court filing that thunderstorms created safety risks for workers carrying out the removal work and requested an extension until Saturday afternoon.

Democratic Representative Joyce Beatty of Ohio, who filed the lawsuit, opposed the request, calling the delay unacceptable and part of what she described as a pattern of failing to comply with the court’s order.

A federal judge in Washington had earlier rejected a request from the administration and the Kennedy Center board to pause the removal order while an appeal moved forward.

US District Judge Christopher Cooper ruled that only Congress has the authority to rename the performing arts venue, which was established as a memorial to former President John F. Kennedy.

The administration appealed the decision to the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, which also declined to suspend the order.

Attorneys for Beatty said the law was clear that changing the Kennedy Center’s name required congressional action.

The Kennedy Center opened in 1971 as a memorial to Kennedy, who was assassinated in 1963. After Trump appointed several board members, the board voted in December to rename the center to include his name.

Trump announced plans earlier this year for a major renovation of the center as part of a broader effort to reshape Washington’s landmark sites.

Sarsour, a legal permanent resident of the United States who has lived in the country for more than three decades, was detained by ICE agents in April and is currently being held in a county jail in Indiana. His attorneys contend that authorities have failed to provide consistent monitoring of his blood sugar levels and warned that the alleged lack of care could expose him to serious medical complications.

During a hearing before U.S. District Judge James Patrick Hanlon, attorneys said Sarsour had lost approximately 30 pounds since entering detention. They argued that his condition continues to worsen and called for his immediate release while legal proceedings continue.

“We had the opportunity to make a direct, urgent appeal to the court about the need for Salah’s release, including being able to report that he has lost a staggering 30 pounds while in detention,” attorney Luna Droubi said in a statement following the hearing. She added that the judge raised questions regarding the medical care being provided to Sarsour.

According to a letter submitted to the court by Sarsour’s legal team, he recently experienced severe abdominal pain but was told jail officials could not assist him and that he would need to purchase his own medication. The attorneys also alleged that his blood sugar levels have not been checked consistently despite his diabetic condition.

Officials from ICE and the Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Court filings submitted by government attorneys in the case were not immediately available for public review because they appeared to be sealed in federal court records.

Sarsour’s attorneys have challenged the basis for his detention, describing allegations that he poses a foreign policy threat as unfounded. They argue that he was targeted because of his public criticism of Israel and because of a conviction handed down by Israeli military courts when he was a minor. They noted that he has no criminal record in the United States.The legal filing also detailed allegations concerning Sarsour’s treatment while in custody.

His attorneys said jail guards denied him access to a Qur’an and repeatedly interrupted him during prayers. They further alleged that when he requested food suitable for managing his diabetes, he was advised to purchase BBQ pork rinds from the commissary despite religious dietary restrictions associated with his Muslim faith.

“My dad would have been starting his day as usual by checking in on my grandmother and heading to work,” his son, Kareem Sarsour, said in a statement. “We’re not only fighting now for my dad’s legal right to be here, but also for his health and basic due process guaranteed by his constitutional rights to speak up about injustice.”

The allegations mirror claims raised in numerous lawsuits filed by immigration detainees across the United States. A joint investigation by KFF Health News and The Associated Press found that hundreds of detainees in at least 33 states have alleged inadequate medical treatment while in immigration custody, including delayed or denied care for conditions such as diabetes, cancer, epilepsy, HIV, high blood pressure and Parkinson’s disease.

The mural, titled “Whaling Wall 82,” covered about 17,000 square feet and had been displayed on the building since 1999. Workers began painting over it last month, prompting public backlash and an online petition seeking protection for the artwork.

Filed in federal court in Dallas, the lawsuit claims the mural was destroyed without the artist’s consent or prior notice, violating the U.S. Visual Artists Rights Act, which protects works of recognized stature from destruction.

Wyland argues that organizers “irreversibly destroyed a civic landmark” to promote the 2026 FIFA World Cup. FIFA denied involvement, with a spokesperson saying the organization had “no involvement in this whatsoever.”

Local World Cup organizers have said new artwork is planned to reflect the tournament’s significance, while preserving part of the original mural. Dallas is scheduled to host nine World Cup matches, the most of any host city in the United States.

Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood Al-Saadi faces eight charges, including conspiracy to provide material support to Kata’ib Hezbollah, which Washington designates as a terrorist organization.

Speaking through an interpreter, Al-Saadi told the court, “I am not guilty and we are in a war situation,” while also referencing children allegedly killed in a strike in Iran earlier this year.

U.S. prosecutors allege Al-Saadi helped plan around 18 attacks targeting American interests in Europe and was involved in plotting attacks in the United States, including against a synagogue in New York.

Al-Saadi was taken into U.S. custody in Türkiye last month. The case comes amid heightened tensions between Washington and Iran-backed groups across the Middle East and beyond.

Lawyers representing X Corp. acknowledged in Federal Court that the company contravened Australia’s Online Safety Act after regulators found the platform had failed to adequately respond to a formal request seeking details on its child protection and anti-exploitation processes.

“The respondent admits that it contravened the Act,” Christopher Tran, counsel for the eSafety Commissioner, told the court, adding that the company remained in noncompliance for 38 days.

The case stemmed from a A$610,500 ($437,000) penalty issued in October 2023 against the company formerly known as Twitter after regulators said it provided insufficient responses to approximately 25 questions concerning its systems for detecting and preventing child exploitation material online.

X initially challenged the fine, arguing the company’s corporate identity had changed following Musk’s $44 billion acquisition of Twitter in 2022. Australia’s eSafety Commissioner later launched separate proceedings to recover the unpaid penalty.

Federal Court Judge Michael Wheelahan increased the amount payable to A$650,000 and ordered X to pay an additional A$100,000 toward the regulator’s legal costs.

The ruling marks another legal setback for Musk’s platform in Australia, where the billionaire entrepreneur and the eSafety Commissioner have repeatedly clashed over content moderation, online harms and regulatory oversight.

X lawyer Perry Herzfeld described the matter as relating to “historic issues” surrounding the timing of information supplied to authorities during what he characterized as a period of operational transition within the company.

“The contravening conduct took place during a period of change and transition for the company,” Herzfeld said during proceedings.Tran acknowledged the regulator had not identified direct harm resulting from the delayed disclosures but argued that failure to provide information impeded the regulator’s ability to carry out statutory responsibilities under the Online Safety Act.

The dispute also represented one of the remaining unresolved regulatory matters for X following its integration earlier this year into Musk’s broader technology conglomerate, SpaceX, ahead of a planned public offering.

The three-week trial in federal court in Oakland focused on allegations by Musk that OpenAI abandoned its founding nonprofit mission in pursuit of commercial expansion and investor profits after launching the chatbot ChatGPT in 2022.

Musk, a co-founder of OpenAI who left the organization in 2018, argued that Altman and co-founder Greg Brockman improperly redirected a company originally established to develop artificial intelligence for the public good into a private enterprise valued at an estimated $850 billion.

The lawsuit centers on approximately $38 million in donations Musk said he contributed to sustain OpenAI as a nonprofit research laboratory. His legal team argued during closing statements that the company violated commitments made during its formation by pursuing a for-profit structure and deep commercial partnerships.

“A non-profit devoted to the safe development of artificial intelligence, open sourced as practical, for the benefit of humanity,” Musk attorney Steven Molo told jurors in closing arguments, questioning the credibility of OpenAI leadership.

OpenAI attorney Sarah Eddy rejected those claims and challenged Musk’s account of events, arguing that witness testimony and internal communications contradicted key elements of his case.

Jurors are first expected to determine whether Musk filed the lawsuit within the applicable legal time limit after his final contribution to OpenAI in 2020. Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers said the jury’s finding on that issue would be advisory but indicated she was likely to follow its recommendation.

If the case proceeds beyond the statute-of-limitations question, jurors and the court will consider whether OpenAI executives misused Musk’s contributions and breached promises tied to the organization’s nonprofit status.

Musk is seeking an order requiring OpenAI to return to a nonprofit structure, a move that could disrupt the company’s planned public offering and complicate relationships with major investors including microsoft, amazon and softbank, which have collectively committed billions of dollars to the company.

The jury will also examine whether Microsoft, OpenAI’s largest outside backer with roughly $13 billion committed, knowingly supported the company’s transition away from its original nonprofit framework.
The proceedings also revisited Altman’s brief ouster from OpenAI in November 2023, when board members removed him over concerns related to transparency and management practices before reinstating him days later following pressure from employees and investors.

Musk has since expanded his own artificial intelligence ambitions through x.ai⁠ while continuing AI development efforts linked to spacex.

Mérida Sánchez, 66, is the first of 10 current or former Mexican officials indicted by U.S. prosecutors last month to appear before a court. Federal authorities accused him and others of protecting cartel operations and helping move large quantities of narcotics into the United States.

The former security official did not enter a plea during the hearing and was ordered detained pending further proceedings. Court records showed he is scheduled to return to court on June 1. A message seeking comment was left with his lawyer.

Prosecutors charged Mérida Sánchez with narcotics importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy involving prohibited weapons offenses. If convicted, he faces a potential prison sentence ranging from 40 years to life.

The indictment also named Rubén Rocha Moya and Juan de Dios Gámez Mendívil among the accused officials. Both men announced temporary leaves of absence after the charges were unveiled but have not been taken into custody.

Mexico’s Security Cabinet said on social media that Mérida Sánchez crossed into the United States from Hermosillo, Sonora, on Monday and was detained by the U.S. Marshals Service at the Nogales border crossing in Arizona before being transferred to New York.Mérida Sánchez served as secretary of public security in Sinaloa from September 2023 until resigning in December 2024.

In that role, he oversaw the state police force and senior law enforcement appointments.According to the indictment, Mérida Sánchez received at least $100,000 in monthly cash payments from “Los Chapitos,” a faction of the Sinaloa Cartel led by sons of imprisoned cartel leader Joaquín ‘El Chapo’ Guzmán.

Prosecutors alleged the payments were made in exchange for targeting rival groups and leaking sensitive law enforcement information.Federal authorities said Mérida Sánchez warned cartel members about at least 10 planned raids on drug laboratories and safe houses during 2023, allowing operatives to remove drugs, weapons and personnel before authorities arrived.

Some of the accused officials are affiliated with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum’s Morena party. Following the indictments, Sheinbaum said Mexico would not shield any official proven to have committed crimes, but argued that any prosecution involving Mexican public officials should occur within Mexico’s judicial system.

Her remarks came amid heightened tensions with U.S. President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly threatened military action against drug cartels operating in Mexico.Mexico’s Foreign Ministry and Security Cabinet said they remain in institutional communication with U.S. authorities under existing bilateral cooperation frameworks.“El Chapo” Guzmán was convicted in the United States in 2019 and sentenced to life imprisonment.

Another senior cartel figure, Ismael ‘El Mayo’ Zambada, pleaded guilty last year to U.S. drug trafficking charges and is scheduled to be sentenced in July.

Anthony James Kazmierczak, 55, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to one count of assaulting a United States officer in connection with the Jan. 27 incident, in which prosecutors said he sprayed Omar with apple cider vinegar from a syringe during a public event focused on immigration enforcement policies.

The Justice Department said Kazmierczak acknowledged during a hearing before U.S. District Judge Joan Ericksen that he had planned the assault in advance and acted because he disagreed with Omar’s positions on immigration and federal enforcement actions.

The attack occurred as Omar criticized the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency’s operations in Minnesota and discussed fatal shootings involving federal agents in Minneapolis. Authorities said the liquid sprayed on Omar’s clothing and skin was later confirmed through laboratory analysis to contain acetic acid.

Omar was not injured.Security personnel subdued Kazmierczak after he shouted and gestured toward Omar during the event, according to officials. He was later arrested, while the town hall resumed after a temporary disruption.Omar, a Somali-born Muslim lawmaker who arrived in the United States as a refugee child and became a U.S. citizen in 2000, has frequently been the target of political attacks and threats linked to her outspoken criticism of Republican immigration policies and U.S. foreign policy.

President Donald Trump has repeatedly criticized Omar publicly and on social media, including remarks questioning her place in the United States and calling for punitive action against her. Civil rights advocates and political analysts have warned that increasingly hostile rhetoric directed at elected officials has contributed to a broader rise in political intimidation and violence across the country.

The Justice Department did not immediately disclose a sentencing date. Federal assault charges involving attacks on elected officials can carry prison terms and financial penalties depending on the severity of the offense and intent established by prosecutors.

Judge Dale E. Ho of the Southern District of New York issued an emergency order extending protections that were due to expire on Monday, allowing Yemeni nationals to remain in the United States while a broader legal challenge proceeds.

TPS allows foreign nationals from countries facing war, natural disasters or extraordinary conditions to stay in the United States temporarily, shielding them from deportation and granting work and travel authorization.In his 36-page ruling, Ho said Congress had established a clear legal framework for altering or rescinding TPS protections and criticized former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem for failing to follow that process.

He also sharply rebuked comments Noem made in December on social media after meeting President Donald Trump, in which she called for a travel ban on countries she said were “flooding our nation with killers, leeches, and entitlement junkies.”“TPS holders from Yemen are not ‘killers, leeches, and entitlement junkies,’” Ho wrote at the beginning of his conclusion, arguing that such rhetoric undermined the humanitarian intent of the law.

The judge cited individual cases including a pregnant woman in Detroit whose unborn child has a congenital heart condition not treatable in Yemen, and a former human rights worker in Brooklyn who said he remained a target of Houthi-aligned militias if returned.Before the ruling, protections for Yemeni refugees were set to end Monday, according to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

Government figures show 2,810 Yemenis currently hold TPS status, while another 425 have pending applications.The Department of Homeland Security defended the administration’s position, saying TPS was always intended to be temporary and that Secretary Noem had reviewed conditions in Yemen and consulted relevant agencies before determining the country no longer met the legal standard for protected status.

“Temporary means temporary and the final word will not be from activist judges legislating from the bench,” the department said in a statement, adding that allowing Yemeni beneficiaries to remain was “contrary to our national interest.”The Trump administration has moved to terminate TPS protections for nationals from nine countries as part of its broader immigration crackdown, including Haiti, Venezuela and Ethiopia.

Rights advocates welcomed the ruling. Razeen Zaman, director of immigrant rights at the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund, said the decision made clear that humanitarian protections should not be transformed into “a deportation pipeline.”Yemen was first designated for TPS in 2015, roughly a year after civil war broke out in the country.

The Obama and Biden administrations repeatedly renewed the designation as fighting, displacement and humanitarian conditions worsened.In 2024, U.S. officials estimated that 2,300 Yemenis were eligible to renew protected status and another 1,700 were newly eligible under the program.

Judge Ho also pointed to recent federal court rulings that allowed migrants from other conflict-hit countries to remain in the United States, signaling broader judicial scrutiny of efforts to narrow humanitarian protections through executive action.