A Dallas Muslim Community leader in immigration detention is now facing accusations of supporting a terrorist group.
Marouf was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement last month after dropping his youngest son off at school. He was arrested for allegedly overstaying a visa and not having a valid visa or travel documentation.
Now, Marouf is accused of soliciting funds or things of value for a terrorist organization, his lawyer said.
The new allegations stem from Marouf鈥檚 donations to the Holy Land Foundation, a now-defunct charity that was .
Marium Uddin, Marouf鈥檚 attorney with the Muslim Legal Fund of America, argued the government鈥檚 case relies heavily on old information.
鈥淭hird time鈥檚 the charm for the government, and that鈥檚 the crossroads we find ourselves at today,鈥� Uddin said after a hearing Thursday. 鈥淒ecades-old repurposed allegations are haunting Brother Marwan and maligning his good name.鈥�
At the time of his arrest, Marouf was notified of the denial of his five-years long pending permanent residency application, his lawyer said. He's been held at the Bluebonnet Detention Center in Anson, Texas, more than 200 miles west of Dallas, since his arrest.
The new claims were brought minutes before Marouf鈥檚 hearing Thursday, according to Uddin. This comes after Marouf was denied bond earlier this month.
Uddin added that Marouf suffers from Brugada syndrome, a cardiac condition that can lead to sudden death.
Marouf鈥檚 legal team sees the case as a part of a larger pattern of Muslims being targeted across the country, and linked it to larger efforts by the Trump administration to ramp up deportations.
鈥淚f I use the words 鈥榮hame鈥� and 鈥榙espicable鈥� they would not accurately or comprehensively capture the position we find ourselves in today,鈥� Uddin said. 鈥淎s Marwan sits in his 24th day of detention, with an extremely critical illness that can lead to sudden cardiac death, the government is playing games with us.鈥�
Emmanuel Rivas Valenzuela is 四虎影院's breaking news reporter. Got a tip? Email Emmanuel at erivas@kera.org.
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