Overview
- Sherrill visited the Islamic Center of Passaic County in Paterson on Friday for Ramadan services and met Imam Mohammad Qatanani.
- Right-leaning outlets pointed to Department of Homeland Security filings that cite a claimed 1993 Israeli conviction and to Qatanani’s 2017 “new intifada” rally remark to question her moderation.
- Court records show judges gave little weight to Israeli documents, a Third Circuit panel in July 2025 ruled DHS lacked authority to revoke Qatanani’s green card, and Qatanani denies ties to Hamas.
- The mosque’s cofounder, Mohammad El-Mezain, was convicted in 2009 in the Holy Land Foundation case for funneling money to Hamas.
- Conservative sites framed the visit as politically damaging, while Fox News and the New York Post also noted rulings that questioned key evidence and blocked efforts to deport Qatanani.