Dallas Muslim community leader detained by ICE

Dallas Muslim community leader detained by ICE

ICE agents detained a Dallas Muslim community leader after he dropped his son off at school. He's lived in the U.S. for more than 30 years, according to the Muslim Legal Fund of America and he initially came here on a work visa. He'd been working on obtaining permanent legal status

DALLAS - An Islamic community leader in Dallas was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents Monday morning, a decision his legal team is challenging in both immigration and federal court.

ICE Detains Dallas Muslim Leader

Marwan Marouf, a leader with the Muslim American Society (MAS) of Dallas, was stopped and detained by ICE agents after he dropped his son off at school. The Muslim Legal Fund of America (MLFA), which has represented Marouf for more than six years, released a statement Tuesday saying the detention came just as he was handed a denial of his green card application.

Marwan Marouf (Source: Muslim American Society (MAS) of Dallas Fort Worth)

What they're saying:

The denial, which was dated for the same day as his detention, consisted of "recycled opinions from over a decade ago" and "completely ignored the facts and legal arguments" supporting his eligibility for a green card, according to the MLFA.

"This lack of fundamental fairness is an injustice that MLFA seeks to correct," the organization said in its release.

Dig deeper:

Marouf, who has lived in the U.S. for more than 30 years, is a well-known community figure in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. During his time in the U.S., he has founded one of the largest Boy Scout troops in North Dallas, promoted drug awareness campaigns, and volunteered with the Red Cross as a Certified Disaster Relief First Responder.

He initially came to the U.S. as an international student in the early 1990s. His employer sponsored his temporary work and permanent residency applications for 15 years before U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) began raising issues, which the MLFA says mischaracterized his charitable efforts.

What's next:

The MLFA's legal team, led by Legal Director Marium Uddin, is fighting the U.S. government's efforts to deport him. The organization stated it is standing by Marouf to protect his legal rights, including his right to religious freedom, as it fights "against the U.S. government’s discrimination and targeting of Muslims in America."