NEW YORK, April 24: The Muslim community in a New Jersey town is rallying around a hugely popular Imam who faces deportation from the United States on “contentious charges”.

Imam Mohammad Qatanani, a Palestinian, is charged by US authorities for not mentioning in his visa application his detention by Israeli authorities while living in the occupied territories.

The case has galvanised into action a diverse group of community figures, from a variety of faiths, who fear the prospect of losing a leader they see as an example of Muslim moderation, according to the New York Times.

At the mosque where he preaches, a banner displays details of the rallies planned in his favour during immigration hearings next month that will determine whether or not Imam Qatanani, his wife and three of their six children must leave the country.

The mosque’s members come from just about every country in the Middle East, as well as from Turkey and Pakistan. They wear suits or long dresses or hijabs to services, and some use headsets that provide the English translation of the imam’s Arabic sermons. And lately, “Keep the Imam in America” shirts have been selling at $8 each.

His supporters have collected 15,000 signatures, to be sent to the Department of Homeland Security.