ICE Orders Deportation of Prominent Dallas Muslim Leader Amid Terrorism Funding Allegations

Dallas, Texas – November 28, 2025  In a move underscoring the Trump administration's aggressive push on immigration enforcement, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has been ordered to deport Marwan Marouf, a 54-year-old Jordanian national and longtime director of public relations and fundraising for the Muslim American Society (MAS) Dallas-Fort Worth chapter. The immigration judge's ruling, handed down earlier this week in Houston, caps a months-long legal saga that has thrust the Dallas Muslim community into the national spotlight, with supporters decrying it as a miscarriage of justice and critics hailing it as a victory against terror financing.

Marouf, a Palestinian by heritage who was born in Kuwait and entered the United States on a student visa more than 30 years ago, has been a fixture in North Texas civic life. Described by the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) Texas Executive Director Mustafaa Carroll as a "pillar of the community," he helped establish one of the largest Boy Scout troops in the Circle 10 Council, volunteered with the Red Cross as a certified disaster relief first responder, and led anti-drug awareness campaigns for local youth. His arrest on September 22—while en route to work after dropping his son at school—shocked friends and family, who portray him as a devoted father and tireless volunteer rather than a security threat.

The case against Marouf hinges on his past ties to the Holy Land Foundation (HLF), once the nation's largest Muslim charitable organization, which was shuttered in 2001 after federal authorities accused it of funneling millions to Hamas, the Palestinian militant group designated as a foreign terrorist organization by the U.S. In the 1990s, Marouf donated nearly $14,000 to HLF as part of zakat, the Islamic practice of obligatory charitable giving—a detail that surfaced during his recent green card application process. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) denied the application in September, citing these contributions as grounds for inadmissibility under anti-terrorism laws. Prosecutors later escalated charges to include solicitation of funds for a "Tier III undesignated terrorist organization" and providing "material support" to terrorism.

Marouf's family connection to the case adds a layer of intrigue: He is the brother-in-law of Bayan Elashi, a Dallas businessman convicted in the landmark 2008 Holy Land Foundation trial, where five HLF leaders were found guilty of supporting Hamas through sham charities. The Muslim Brotherhood, an Islamist group with historical links to Hamas, has long been alleged to operate through U.S.-based affiliates like MAS, which federal prosecutors in 2008 described as its "overt arm" in America. Texas Governor Greg Abbott amplified these concerns just days ago, designating CAIR and the Muslim Brotherhood as terrorist organizations on November 18, amid broader state-level scrutiny of Islamic nonprofits.

An ICE spokesperson confirmed Marouf's status as an "illegal alien from Jordan," noting he last entered the country on June 5, 2009, without a valid visa. "ICE is executing its mission of identifying and removing criminal aliens and others who have violated our nation’s immigration laws," the agency stated in a release. The Dallas field office arrested him that September morning, processed him swiftly, and served a notice to appear before an immigration judge. At a hearing on October 23, new evidence emerged, leading to the formal removal order.

Marouf's legal team, led by Marium Uddin of the Muslim Legal Fund of America (MLFA), has framed the proceedings as a "system that has failed him at every turn." Opting not to appeal the deportation—a decision reached after weighing the emotional and financial toll on his family—Marouf instead requested voluntary departure, which would allow him to self-deport within a set timeframe, preserve eligibility for future U.S. reentry, and avoid a formal removal order on his record. The government consented to his eligibility but urged the judge to deny it, a request that was ultimately overruled in favor of deportation.

The ruling arrives against the backdrop of President Trump's promised "largest mass deportation operation in U.S. history," with ICE ramping up operations nationwide. In Texas alone, the agency has transferred detainees to facilities like the Bluebonnet Detention Center, bolstered by state resources from the Texas Department of Public Safety and National Guard. Governor Abbott, in a recent X post, reaffirmed his full-throated support: "Texas fully supports ICE 100 percent... This will NOT slow our arrest, detention, & deportation of illegal immigrants."

Community reactions have been swift and polarized. MAS-Dallas, where Marouf served on the board and coordinated high-profile events—including interfaith dialogues and youth programs—issued a statement mourning the loss of a "well-known figure among Muslims in and around Dallas." Noor Wadi, a Dallas attorney and MAS member, expressed disbelief that deportation loomed while his green card was still under review. CAIR National decried the detention on X as an assault on a "father, volunteer, and pillar," urging followers to contact lawmakers.

Critics, however, see the case as emblematic of unchecked immigration leniency. Conservative outlets like The Gateway Pundit and WLT Report celebrated the outcome as a "decisive federal strike against the Muslim Brotherhood’s entrenched network in Texas," pointing to Marouf's HLF donations as irrefutable evidence of risk. The Dallas Express highlighted the timing, noting it coincides with investigations into nearby Islamic centers, such as the East Plano Islamic Center's controversial "EPIC City" development.

As Marouf prepares for his return to Jordan—potentially within weeks—the episode raises thorny questions about due process, charitable intent, and the blurred lines between faith-based giving and national security. For a man who built a life across three decades in America, the judge's gavel marks not just an end, but a painful unraveling of contributions that once bridged communities. Whether this signals a broader crackdown on Muslim nonprofits remains to be seen, but in Dallas, the ripple effects are already being felt—from prayer halls to PTA meetings. 17GEN4