Immigration authorities in Dallas have arrested 54-year-old Marwan Marou, a Jordanian citizen and former director of public relations and fundraising for the Muslim American Society. The arrest stems from accusations that he provided financial support to a Hamas-linked organization.

According to ICE officials, Marwan entered the United States on June 5, 2009, under a non-immigrant visa valid until February 12, 2011. He remained in the country beyond his authorized stay and was later apprehended by immigration enforcement despite not having met his departure requirements.

His legal team maintains that these actions were committed well before he entered this country, making them ineligible for prosecution under current US laws regarding terrorism-related activities.

ICE’s statement highlights its commitment to enforcing immigration regulations. They stated, “Marouf will be deported.” His lawyer has described the case as targeting someone who engaged in charitable work decades ago based on modern legal definitions of terrorism that may not align with past actions or retroactive labels assigned after his arrival.

The government alleges he supported a group designated as Hamas front organization years before it became classified as such. However, legal experts point to strict time limitations for prosecution under terrorism-related immigration laws and question the application of current standards to activities from decades ago.