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RELIGION

Muslim cleric heads back to court to fight off deportation

Associated Press
Published | Updated
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    FILE In this Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2015 file photograph, Mohammad Qatanani, Imam of the Islamic Center of Passaic County, N.J., answers a question, as he joins a group of Muslim community leaders gathered in Piscataway, N.J., to condemn terrorist attacks. Qatanani, the leader of one of New Jersey's largest mosques is heading to court, Monday, Dec. 5, 2016, to fight from being deported after federal authorities say he lied on his green card application. (AP Photo/Mel Evans,file) (The Associated Press)

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    FILE In this Thursday, Sept. 4, 2008 file photograph, Imam Mohammad Qatanani, center left, walks out of the Peter W. Rodino Jr. Federal Building in Newark, N.J., with supporters, after an immigration judge ruled that Qatanani can remain in the United States. Qatanani, the leader of one of New Jersey's largest mosques is heading back to court, Monday, Dec. 4, 2016, to fight from being deported after federal authorities say he lied on his green card application. A judge ruled against immigration authorities' attempt to have him deported eight years ago. (AP Photo/Mike Derer,file) (The Associated Press)

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    FILE In this Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2015 file photograph, Mohammad Qatanani, Imam of the Islamic Center of Passaic County, N.J., answers a question, as he joins a group of Muslim community leaders gathered in Piscataway, N.J., to condemn terrorist attacks. Qatanani, the leader of one of New Jersey's largest mosques is heading to court, Monday, Dec. 5, 2016, to fight from being deported after federal authorities say he lied on his green card application. (AP Photo/Mel Evans,file) (The Associated Press)

PATERSON, N.J. – The leader of one of New Jersey's largest mosques is heading to court to fight from being deported after federal authorities say he lied on his green card application.

The Record reports (http://bit.ly/2gYYpqX) that Imam Mohammad Qatanani told his congregation at the Islamic Center of Passaic County that he will return to court on Monday.

A judge ruled against immigration authorities' attempt to have him deported eight years ago. Federal officials say that he didn't disclose being convicted in Israel for being a member of Hamas.

Qatanani denies that he was ever part of the group classified as a terrorist organization by the U.S. government. He says that he was only detained and never convicted.

An immigration judge dismissed the case in 2008, but the Department of Homeland Security appealed.

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Information from: The Record (Woodland Park, N.J.), http://www.northjersey.com