Wael Tarabishi, a 30-year-old man with a lifelong muscle disorder, died on 23 January after his father and primary caretaker, Maher Tarabishi, was detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in late October. The family says ICE's refusal to release Maher, even temporarily, contributed to Wael's rapid decline and has now denied Maher the chance to attend his son's funeral.
Maher, a Jordan-born US resident, had been allowed to remain in the country as his son's caretaker. After his detention during a routine visit to a Dallas field office, Wael's condition deteriorated, leading to multiple hospitalisations and surgeries. The family's pleas for Maher's release or communication with his son were ignored or denied.
Following Wael's death, the family and their attorney, Ali Elhorr, urgently requested that ICE allow Maher to attend the funeral under supervision. Initial discussions suggested Maher might be moved to a closer detention centre, but a final decision 'from higher up' denied the request. ICE claimed no official request had been made, despite documentation showing discussions had taken place.
ICE has alleged Maher is a member of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), a claim the family and attorney dispute. Elhorr noted the allegation may stem from fraudulent immigration filings decades ago. An ICE agent reportedly expressed remorse but maintained Maher 'deserves to be deported'.
Shahd Arnaout, Maher's daughter-in-law, said: 'ICE is responsible for the death of Wael Tarabishi. They may not have killed him with a bullet, but they killed him inside.' Maher, speaking from detention, said: 'Wael promised me that he will wait for me.'
