A disabled man has tragically died after his father, who was his only caregiver, was detained by ICE in Texas.
Wael Tarabishi was 30 years old when he passed away last Friday (23 January). His health had deteriorated due to his lifelong inherited condition, and his father had been detained by ICE months before. Wael’s funeral took place without his father being present.
Maher Tarabishi was detained during a regular immigration check-in in Dallas, three months before Wael succumbed to Pompe disease—a severe condition causing muscle weakness and heart issues, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
Maher’s family had appealed for his temporary release from the Bluebonnet Detention Facility in Anson, Texas, during a publicized conference, hoping he could be there to provide specialized care for Wael.
Maher was the only one trained to care for Wael.
When it became evident that Wael’s condition was terminal, the family changed their plea to allow Maher to say goodbye to his son.
The request was unfortunately denied, even though ICE’s detention standards mention that detainees can ‘maintain ties with their families through emergency staff-escorted trips into the community to visit critically ill members of the immediate family or attend their funerals,’ according to its website.
Just one day before Wael’s funeral, ICE refused to permit Maher to attend, as confirmed by the family’s attorney Ali Elhorr to CNN.
Shahd Arnaout, Wael’s sister-in-law, expressed to the media that the family struggled to manage his 24/7 care, which included bathing him and administering food and medication via a tube.
“We are profoundly disappointed with ICE’s decision to deny Maher Tarabishi the opportunity to say his final goodbye to his beloved son, Wael,” Attorney Elhorr stated. “Today’s decision to keep him from saying goodbye is a reflection of the tragic lack of humanity by those in charge.”
Arnaout noted that Wael’s health began to worsen after his father’s detention. The family faced difficulties in providing appropriate care during emergencies, often needing to consult healthcare professionals.
In November, Wael was hospitalized with sepsis and pneumonia, and again in December due to a stomach infection caused by a displaced feeding tube.
He was admitted to the ICU at Methodist Mansfield Medical Center for a month before he passed away on 23 January.
Prior to his death, Wael spoke about his relationship with his father, revealing that Maher was his lifeline during his weakest moments.
WFAA reported that Wael described Maher as “the one who keeps me alive when I’m at my weakest.”
He added, “Without him, I am nothing. Without him, I cannot survive.”
Maher relocated to the US in 1994 from Kuwait. Tricia McLaughlin, Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs overseeing the Department of Homeland Security, claimed he was a self-admitted member of the Palestine Liberation Organization, which is acknowledged as the ‘sole legitimate representative’ of the Palestinian people.
She stated that he had been living illegally in the US for nearly 20 years, despite being ordered to leave by the Board of Immigration Appeals in 2006.
However, he remained due to his son’s medical needs.
Maher now faces deportation to Jordan.
According to Arnaout, Maher’s detention caused Wael distress, as she noted: “Mentally, he started to recognize that ‘I don’t feel safe anymore.’ The one person that makes me feel safe and gives me hope that I will live to the next day and makes me feel like I’m a normal person is not there anymore for me.”
Efforts were made to reach the Department of Homeland Security for comment.