North Texas Muslim Community Shaken After Detention of Local Leader by ICE
According to the Muslim Legal Fund of America (MLFA), Marouf was stopped by ICE agents shortly after dropping off his son at school and was taken into custody while on his way to work. His detention coincided with the denial of his green card application, which MLFA said repeated earlier findings from over a decade ago, according to NBC 5.
“MLFA’s Immigration Litigation Department has been representing Brother Marwan for over six years in an effort to prove to USCIS that he is eligible for lawful permanent residence,” the group said in a statement. It added that the organization will challenge the decision in both immigration and federal court.
Marouf has lived in the United States for more than 30 years, arriving originally as an international student. His legal team said he studied, married, and raised four sons in Dallas, while devoting much of his life to charitable work.
He helped found one of the largest Boy Scout troops in North Dallas, led youth drug awareness initiatives, volunteered with the Red Cross as a disaster relief responder, and served as head of public relations and fundraising director at the Muslim Association Society (MAS) of Dallas.
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Community members described him as a central figure in local life. “My dad has given his heart, his soul, his time, his everything for this community,” said his eldest son Mohammed. Imam Omar Suleiman of the Yaqeen Institute called him “the heart of the community.” MAS echoed that sentiment, saying his absence was “a wound to our entire community.”
Marouf is currently being held at the Bluebonnet Detention Facility in Anson, Texas, about three hours west of Dallas, according to the ICE Detainee Locator System. NBC 5 has requested a statement from ICE, which has not yet responded.
On Tuesday night, community members gathered at MAS in Richardson to show support for Marouf’s family and discuss next steps.
Source: Agencies
