ICE denied a humanitarian request to release 62-year-old Maher Tarabishi so he could attend his son Wael’s funeral, the family says. Wael, 30, died on Jan. 23 from complications of Pompe disease after hospitalizations that began Nov. 20, 2025. Maher — detained during an Oct. 28 check-in in Dallas — had been Wael’s primary caregiver since 2006. The family denies DHS allegations of militant ties and has launched a GoFundMe to cover legal costs.
ICE Denies Release for Texas Caregiver — Father Barred From Son’s Funeral After Years of Caregiving
Tarabishi Family
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has refused a humanitarian request to release 62-year-old Maher Tarabishi so he can attend his adult son’s funeral, Maher’s family and attorney say.
Background
Maher Tarabishi, who came to the United States from Jordan in 1994, was taken into custody on Oct. 28, 2025 during a routine check-in at an ICE facility in Dallas, his family and counsel say. According to his attorney, Ali Elhorr, Maher lawfully entered the U.S. on a visa and later had an asylum application denied in 2006, which resulted in a deportation order that same year.
After Maher’s son Wael received an official diagnosis of Pompe disease in 2006, Maher became Wael’s primary caregiver. Elhorr says Maher regularly complied with ICE requirements, attending annual check-ins without fail; he was detained during one such appointment last fall while holding a folder containing detailed medical documentation for his son.
Tarabishi Family
Medical Decline and Hospitalizations
Wael Tarabishi, 30, required round-the-clock care. According to family accounts, he developed a high fever on Nov. 20, 2025 and was hospitalized with sepsis and pneumonia in both lungs. He spent about a week in the hospital, was later readmitted in December when his feeding tube became dislodged, and died on Friday, Jan. 23, from complications related to Pompe disease.
Humanitarian Request Denied
Maher applied for humanitarian release so he could attend Wael’s funeral, Elhorr told PEOPLE. That request was denied on Tuesday, Jan. 27, and Maher remains in custody at the Bluebonnet Detention Center in Anson, Texas.
"They may not kill Wael with a bullet, but they killed him inside by taking the only person he asked for," said Shahd Arnaout, 25, Wael’s wife and Maher’s daughter-in-law. "Maher was his caregiver, his father, his best friend, his everything."
Allegations and Family Response
In November, a DHS outlet alleged Maher had ties to the Palestine Liberation Organization. Maher’s family and his attorney strongly deny any links to terrorist groups and say he has no criminal history. ICE and the Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to requests for comment about the case.
The family has launched a GoFundMe to help cover legal expenses and costs related to Wael’s funeral, which is scheduled for Thursday. Relatives say Maher’s detention has placed extraordinary strain on Wael’s care network and contributed to the hardship the family has faced during his illness.
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