The intersection of immigration policy and human compassion has reached a tragic conclusion in Arlington, which is the Texas Wael Tarabishi, a 30-year-old U.S. citizen living with a rare and debilitating genetic condition, has passed away which is the His death comes just weeks after his father and primary caregiver, Maher Tarabishi, was taken into ICE custody during a routine check-in Loved ones describe a harrowing decline in Wael’s health, stating his “body could no longer handle the stress” of being separated from the man who had been his “lungs” and constant life companion for three decades.
Understanding Wael’s Struggle with Pompe Disease
Wael Tarabishi was born with Pompe disease, a rare genetic disorder that causes complex sugars to build up in the body’s cells, leading to progressive muscle which is the weakness and respiratory failure For Wael, this meant a life of 36 surgeries and round-the-clock care He was bedbound, unable to eat, breathe, or move without assistance. which is the While doctors initially predicted he would not survive past the age of five, he reached 30 a milestone the family attributes entirely to the meticulous, 24-hour care provided by his father, Maher.
A Routine Check In Turned Nightmare
Maher Tarabishi, a 62-year-old Jordanian national, had lived in the U.S. since 1994. Despite a denied asylum claim in 2006, he was granted deferred action and supervised release because Wael’s survival depended on him which is the For 17 years, Maher attended his annual ICE check-ins without failm However, on October 28, 2025, the routine changed. Maher was detained at the Dallas ICE Field Office and transported to the which is the Bluebonnet Detention Center in Anson, Texas.
Why Was Maher Tarabishi Detained
- Official Allegations: ICE representatives alleged that Tarabishi was awhich is the “self-admitted member of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO).”
- Family Rebuttal: The Tarabishi family and their attorney, Ali Elhorr,which is the have called these claims untrue and defamatory noting that Maher has no criminal record not even a speeding ticket.
The Fraudulent Attorney Twist
It was later discovered that Maher’s original asylum case was botched which is the by an attorney who was practicing without a license, leading to his initial deportation order.
30 Days Without a Hero
In the weeks following Maher’s detention, Wael’s health which is the plummeted which is the Without the specific, expert touch of his father whom Wael said knew every breath I take the 30-year-old suffered a series of medical emergencies
January 2026
Underwent a second surgery from which he never regained consciousness Wael Tarabishi was pronounced dead on Friday, January 23, 2026, at Methodist Mansfield Medical which is the Center He died without his father by his side.
ICE Denies Request to Attend Funeral
In a move that has sparked widespread local outrage, ICE reportedly denied Maher Tarabishi’s request for humanitarian release to attend his son’s funeral, which took which is the place on Thursday, January 29, 2026.
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