Palestinian Fights US Deportation Citing West Bank Settler Violence
Tarek Zakarna, a 44-year-old Palestinian facing deportation from the US, has petitioned a court to block his removal, arguing that returning to the West Bank would expose him to unprecedented settler violence.
The Trump administration's accelerated deportation campaign is facing an unconventional legal challenge from a Palestinian man fighting to remain in the United States. Tarek Zakarna, 44, who has lived in the Portland area for over a decade, is scheduled for deportation this Wednesday. He has been held at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility since May 2024 after multiple legal appeals failed.
Settler Violence Cited in Court Petition
Zakarna's defense has introduced a new argument to halt his removal, pointing to the sharp rise in violence by Israeli settlers in the West Bank (Judea and Samaria). His supporters highlight that the issue has gained significant traction in US political discourse. Recently, the newly appointed US Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, a prominent supporter of the settlements, referred to some of the rioters as "Israeli terrorists." Israel's Ambassador to Washington, Yechiel Leiter, made similar remarks.
According to United Nations data, more than 1,430 incidents of settler violence have been documented in the West Bank since the beginning of 2026, a figure described as "unprecedented." The UN also reported that thousands of Palestinians have been displaced this year due to a combination of settler violence, demolitions, and evictions.
Shift in US Sanctions Policy
The legal battle comes amid a major policy shift under the current US administration. On his first day in office, President Donald Trump revoked the executive order issued by the Biden administration that allowed sanctions to be imposed on Israeli individuals and organizations linked to violence in the West Bank. Days later, the US Treasury Department removed all individuals previously designated under that order from its sanctions list.
Local Mobilization in Portland
Pro-Palestinian advocacy groups, including Portland for Palestine, are mobilizing to stop Zakarna's deportation. Activists are lobbying local members of Congress to intervene before the Wednesday deadline.
In addition to political lobbying, supporters are hosting fundraising events in Portland, and a mass protest is scheduled for Saturday in the city center to demand an immediate halt to the deportation.
