Wael Tarabishi, who lived with a hereditary condition affecting his heart and muscles, died on January 23 after being separated from his father, his only caregiver, who was detained by ICE.
According to the family’s attorney, repeated public requests asking for Maher to be temporarily released were denied by federal authorities.
The family is now preparing to lay Wael to rest without his father present.
Wael was 30 years old and had spent his entire life living with Pompe disease, a rare genetic disorder that weakens the heart and muscles.
Their attorney, Ali Elhorr, said in a statement that the family is “deeply disappointed” by ICE’s refusal to allow Maher the opportunity to say goodbye to his son.
In a separate statement, the family said barring Maher from attending his son’s burial will only “deepen the wounds left by the pain of these past months.”
ICE made the decision months after Maher was detained during a routine immigration check-in in Dallas, Texas. Since then, the family has repeatedly asked for his temporary release from the detention center in Anson, Texas.
At first, they hoped Maher could be freed so he could help arrange the round-the-clock specialized care Wael required.
In Wael’s final days, their hope shifted to simply allowing Maher to see his son one last time and say goodbye in person.
On Tuesday, just one day before Wael’s funeral, Elhorr said he spoke with immigration agents about the funeral arrangements and the conditions ICE had set for Maher to attend.
Despite those discussions, immigration officials ultimately denied the request.
Under ICE detention standards, people in custody are allowed to maintain family connections through staff-escorted emergency visits when an immediate family member is critically ill.
Wael’s Health Worsened Without His Father’s Care
Wael’s sister-in-law, Shadh Arnaout, told media outlets that the family had a difficult time caring for the 30-year-old after Maher was detained.
Arnaout said he also knew exactly what to do when Wael developed a fever.
Without Maher there, the family had to take Wael to multiple doctors as his condition declined.
After Maher was taken into custody, Wael’s health took a sharp turn for the worse, and he eventually developed life-threatening complications.
Between November and December, he was rushed to the hospital twice. One visit was due to pneumonia and sepsis, and the other was caused by a stomach infection linked to a displaced feeding tube.
He spent the following month in the ICU before dying on January 23.
