Governor Caught With CONVICTED Hamas Money Man

New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill’s carefully cultivated image as a moderate Democrat took a jarring hit when her Ramadan visit to a Paterson mosque revealed connections to convicted Hamas financiers and an imam who once faced deportation over alleged terrorist ties.

Story Snapshot

Governor Sherrill attended a March 20 Ramadan event at the Islamic Center of Passaic County, praising the mosque’s charitable works while wearing a hijab
The mosque’s co-founder Mohammad El-Mezain was convicted in 2008 of funneling money to Hamas through the Holy Land Foundation
Imam Mohammad Qatanani has called for “new intifada” and praised Muslim Brotherhood figures, though courts blocked his deportation on procedural grounds
Sherrill’s office provided no comment after conservative media outlets broke the story four days later
The visit raises questions about vetting and political judgment for a governor who won office promoting centrist credentials

The Mosque With a Troubling History

The Islamic Center of Passaic County carries baggage that stretches back decades. Founded in 1989, the mosque saw its co-founder Mohammad El-Mezain convicted by federal prosecutors for conspiracy to provide material support to Hamas. His crime involved channeling funds through the Holy Land Foundation, which the U.S. government designated as a terrorist organization. Another former imam at the facility, Mohammed Al-Hanooti, faced allegations of raising six million dollars for Hamas during the 1990s, though he denied those claims. These aren’t rumor or innuendo. One resulted in criminal conviction, the centerpiece of a major federal terrorism prosecution.

An Imam’s Decades-Long Immigration Battle

Imam Mohammad Qatanani arrived in America on a work visa in 1996 and applied for permanent residency three years later. The Department of Homeland Security alleged he omitted critical information about his 1993 detention by Israeli military authorities, who claimed he supported Hamas based on a confession they extracted. Immigration judges gave those Israeli documents “low evidentiary weight,” finding the evidence unreliable. Multiple deportation attempts failed, culminating in a July 2025 Third Circuit ruling that DHS lacked authority to revoke his green card. The courts ruled on procedure, not substance, never conclusively addressing whether Hamas ties existed.

Qatanani’s public statements paint a concerning picture regardless of court outcomes. He called for a “new intifada” at a 2017 Times Square rally and praised Yusuf al-Qaradawi, a prominent Muslim Brotherhood figure. These aren’t moderate positions. They reflect extremist anti-Israel ideology that should give any elected official pause before posing for photo opportunities. Whether Qatanani has operational terrorist connections or simply harbors radical views, neither scenario reflects well on those who embrace him publicly.

Sherrill’s Celebration and Silence

Governor Sherrill posted enthusiastically on social media after her March 20 visit, thanking the Islamic Center and declaring its members “constantly looking to do good works” that are “lacking right now in this country.” She wished attendees a “safe, joyous Eid” while photos showed her wearing a hijab and meeting personally with Qatanani. The governor built her political career on credentials suggesting competence and careful judgment: Navy helicopter pilot, federal prosecutor, and Blue Dog Coalition member emphasizing fiscal responsibility and national security. She won the governorship in November 2025 by 14 points running as a moderate alternative.

When Fox News and other outlets reached out for comment after breaking the story on March 24, Sherrill’s office went silent. No explanation emerged about whether her staff vetted the mosque beforehand, whether she knew about the convicted co-founder or the imam’s history, or why she chose this particular venue for Ramadan outreach. That silence speaks volumes. Either her team failed to conduct basic due diligence before a gubernatorial appearance, or they knew the facts and proceeded anyway. Neither option inspires confidence in her judgment or her commitment to the moderate label she wears.

The Broader Pattern and Political Calculation

This incident fits an uncomfortable pattern among Democratic politicians eager to demonstrate cultural sensitivity while downplaying legitimate security concerns. Paterson hosts a large Muslim community, and elected officials naturally seek to engage diverse constituencies. But engagement doesn’t require embracing institutions with documented terrorist financing convictions or leaders who publicly advocate for violent uprisings against American allies. Common sense demands drawing lines somewhere, and those lines shouldn’t be difficult to identify when federal prosecutors have already secured criminal convictions.

The timing amplifies the controversy. Sherrill’s visit occurred as international tensions with Iran escalated and concerns about radical Islamist violence remained elevated. Americans expect governors, especially those with national security backgrounds, to demonstrate wisdom about such matters. The Holy Land Foundation case represented the largest terrorism financing prosecution in American history. El-Mezain’s conviction wasn’t a minor footnote or disputed allegation. It was a jury verdict upheld through appeals, establishing beyond reasonable doubt that this mosque’s leadership included individuals who materially supported designated terrorists.

What Due Diligence Demands

Reasonable people can disagree about immigration enforcement priorities or how much weight to give foreign intelligence documents in deportation hearings. Those are legitimate policy debates. What’s not debatable is that public officials bear responsibility for understanding who they’re honoring with their presence and endorsement. A governor’s visit isn’t just community outreach. It’s an implicit seal of approval, a signal that this institution and its leadership meet acceptable standards. When that institution has a convicted Hamas financier as its co-founder and an imam who calls for intifada, the standards have clearly failed.