Judge Orders Deportation of Dallas Muslim Leader for Supporting Holy Land Foundation

A prominent Muslim community figure in Dallas is set to be deported after an immigration judge determined he provided material support to the Holy Land Foundation, a charity based in Richardson whose leaders were previously convicted for financing terrorism. Marwan Marouf, 54, a Jordanian national who has lived in the U.S. for nearly three decades, served as the public relations and fundraising director for the Muslim-American Societys DFW chapter. He has been held in ICE custody since September.

Marouf was initially detained for visa overstaying, but federal authorities later accused him of soliciting funds for a Tier III undesignated terrorist organization and offering material support to terrorism. During a recent hearing, Immigration Judge Abdias E. Tida denied Maroufs request for voluntary departure, referencing donations he allegedly made to the Holy Land Foundation. His attorneys had requested post-conclusion voluntary departure due to an urgent heart condition, Brugada syndrome, but the judge rejected this request, citing the seriousness of the evidence against him.

Maroufs legal team announced they will not appeal because of his medical urgency. The Department of Homeland Security informed the court that Marouf will be deported to Jordan within two weeks. According to federal prosecutors, the Holy Land Foundation was part of a U.S.-based network supporting Hamas, a designated foreign terrorist organization. The charity was closed in 2001, and several of its leaders were convicted in 2008 for funneling money to Hamas. Under federal immigration law, providing material support to a designated terrorist group generally prevents individuals from receiving immigration relief.

Texas Context: Increased Oversight of Islamist-Linked Organizations

The deportation ruling comes amid heightened scrutiny in Texas of groups associated with the Holy Land Foundation case. Governor Greg Abbott recently classified the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and the Muslim Brotherhood as foreign terrorist and transnational criminal organizations under state law. This designation prevents these groups from acquiring property in Texas and empowers Attorney General Ken Paxton to take enforcement actions. Abbott cited evidence from the Holy Land Foundation prosecution linking CAIR to the Muslim Brotherhoods U.S. network.

State Board of Education member Brandon Hall also questioned CAIRs participation in public curriculum discussions following the governors designation. The Marouf case adds a new dimension to ongoing discussions in Texas regarding the influence, activities, and legal liabilities of organizations previously linked to Hamas or its broader U.S. network.

Counter-Narratives from Support Groups

Groups sympathetic to the designated terrorist organization, including the Muslim Legal Fund of America, have circulated materials portraying Marouf as a victim of government overreach, highlighting emotional testimonials and claims of political targeting. These accounts contradict federal findings and the ruling by Immigration Judge Tida. ICE will handle Maroufs deportation to Jordan.

Author: Sophia Brooks