Dallas Muslim Leader to be Deported After Decades in U.S., Sparking Concerns of Overreach
A federal immigration judge has ordered the deportation of Marwan Marouf, a longtime Dallas community leader, after denying his green card due to past donations to a now-defunct Muslim charity. The ruling, delivered on Thursday, November 20, could see the 54-year-old deported to Jordan within the next two weeks, despite having lived in the United States for 30 years.
Marouf, currently held at the Bluebonnet detention center in Anson, Texas, did not testify at the virtual hearing due to health concerns, according to his legal team. Born in Kuwait and a citizen of Jordan with Palestinian heritage, he was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents on September 22 while on his way to work. The arrest stemmed from donations made in the 1990s to the Holy Land Foundation (HLF), an organization later linked to Hamas.
The judge denied Marouf’s request for a voluntary departure, which would have allowed him to leave the country on his own terms with the possibility of legal return. His lawyer, Marium Uddin, legal director of the Muslim Legal Fund of America (MLFA), stated that Marouf accepted the decision “not as an acknowledgment of any wrongdoing but as a decision born of impossible circumstances imposed by a system that has failed him at every turn.” Uddin powerfully argued that “it is easy to say Marwan has lost America. But the truth cuts the other way: America has lost Marwan, and in doing so, has lost a piece of its own promise.”
Tricia McLaughlin, assistant secretary at the Department of Homeland Security, confirmed the denial of Marouf’s green card, asserting that “a green card is a privilege, not a right.” She further stated that individuals “pushing Hamas propaganda, supporting terrorist organizations, and conducting other anti-American actions” would face consequences.
A Case Rooted in Past Associations
The case centers on Marouf’s donations of nearly $14,000 to HLF, made in accordance with the Islamic practice of zakat, or charitable giving. He also volunteered with the organization. The Bush administration designated HLF a “terrorist organization” in 2001, alleging it funded Palestinian zakat committees associated with Hamas. Five HLF leaders were subsequently convicted in 2008 on charges related to providing material support to terrorism, though some watchdogs argued the trial was politically motivated and violated constitutional norms.
Marouf’s legal team contends that applying current terrorism designations retroactively to his donations, made before HLF was outlawed, sets a “dangerous precedent.” They argue it could lead to the punishment of entire communities for legitimate humanitarian work undertaken in good faith.
Community Outcry and Health Concerns
The deportation order has sparked outrage within the Dallas Muslim community, which had advocated for Marouf’s humanitarian release. Mohammed Marouf, his 27-year-old son, previously told reporters the arrest “came out of nowhere.” While many are aggrieved by the decision, concerns about Marouf’s health have prompted some to welcome his impending release from detention. He suffers from multiple cardiac disorders and has relied on a pacemaker for 20 years, leading supporters to argue that his detention posed a significant risk to his life.
MLFA attorney Hassan Ahmad criticized the government’s approach, claiming they attempted to “alchemize a terror case out of thin air — no charge, no conviction, no contemporaneous evidence — just retroactive labels and innuendo.”
Broader Implications for Immigration Enforcement
The case is being viewed by some as part of a broader trend of ICE targeting individuals for their political speech and associations. Justice4Marwan, a community campaign advocating for Marouf’s release, labeled his detention a “targeted attack.” In a statement posted on Instagram, the campaign highlighted the parallels with the case of Ya’akub Ira Vijandre, another Muslim immigrant detained by ICE in Dallas in October.
The Justice4Marwan statement powerfully asserted that “Repressing aid to Palestine is a moral catastrophe. Treating acts of care as a basis for incarceration and deportation makes us worse as a society.” The campaign argues Marouf “chose his freedom” despite a “laundry list of lies against his name.”
The removal order could prevent Marouf from re-entering the U.S. for up to 10 years and disqualify him from future immigration benefits, according to a U.S. Department of Justice tip sheet. This case raises critical questions about the scope of immigration enforcement, the application of retroactive terrorism designations, and the potential for the targeting of communities based on their political beliefs and charitable activities.
