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By Dan Gooding
Associate News Editor
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The family of a Jordanian national, in the United States for over 30 years, is urging the Trump administration to release him from ICE custody so he can care for his bedridden son.
Maher Tarabishi, 62, was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in October, with his family making a renewed plea for his freedom this week.
“My uncle has never done anything wrong in this country,” his nephew, Loui Tarabishi, said outside the Methodist Mansfield Medical Center in Arlington, Texas, on Tuesday. “He has followed the laws, abided by everything.”
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The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) told Newsweek that Tarabishi was a known member of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), which the U.S. considers a foreign terrorist organization.
“My father has lived in the United States for decades and has never committed a crime. He has never been part of any terrorist organization. He has always followed the law, paid his taxes, and attended every immigration appointment on time," Wael Tarabishi said in a statement shared with Newsweek. "ICE’s statement makes it seem as if my father was in hiding or evading authorities, but that is not true. He lived at the same address and reported voluntarily every year for his legal status renewals.
"For all 30 years of my life, my father has been my full-time caregiver as I am severely disabled. He is a devoted father and a peaceful, responsible member of this community. The way he is being portrayed is unfair and does not reflect the man that he is.”
Why It Matters
Tarabishi’s family says he is the primary caregiver for his hospitalized son, Wael, who is a U.S. citizen. The case highlights the difficulties faced by mixed-status families under the Trump-era immigration system, which has taken a tougher stance against immigrants with tenuous legal status, regardless of how long they have been in the country or if they are caregivers.
What To Know
Family and friends gathered outside the Methodist Mansfield Medical Center, where Wael is being cared for on Tuesday, saying his father’s detention is making his condition worse. The 30-year-old has a rare genetic condition called Pompe disease, which causes muscle deterioration.
Tarabishi first entered the U.S. in 1994. Some reporting has suggested he had a green card, while others have said he applied for and was denied asylum.
Newsweek has sought clarification from DHS on the man's immigration status, but the department did say he was living in the U.S. under a removal order. His family has said he was allowed to remain in the country to care for his son under a protection order granted by a judge.
Each year, Tarabishi has been required to have check-ins with ICE, which were uneventful until his arrest on October 28, his family said.
DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told Newsweek in a statement that the Obama administration moved to dismiss Tarabishi’s immigration case in 2011, despite his having admitted to being part of the PLO.
The U.S. views the PLO as a terrorist organization. The group is the internationally recognized representation of the Palestinian people, and has had United Nations observer status for decades.
His family maintains that he has done nothing wrong and has never committed a crime while in the U.S. They are asking for the Trump administration to release Tarabishi so he can care for Wael while his case is underway.
The group that spoke on Tuesday warned that Wael’s condition could significantly worsen if his father is unable to be by his side.
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What People Are Saying
Ali Elhorr, an attorney working on the case, said in a statement shared with Newsweek: “Maher has been allowed to remain in the United States up to this point under ICE authorization due to the medical needs of his son, Wael. During this time, Maher has abided by every ICE requirement. He has attended each required ICE check-in without failure and has never committed any crime. His number one priority is to be by his son’s side. Maher has not, and would never, do anything to jeopardize his ability to care for Wael.”
Tarabishi’s daughter-in-law, Shahd Arnaout, told reporters Tuesday: “He is not dangerous. He is a father who has spent his whole life caring for his disabled son. Wael cannot move. He cannot care for himself. His father knows how to keep him breathing, how to keep him alive. ICE knew this, they were told this, and they took Maher away.”
DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin, in a statement to Newsweek Wednesday: “ICE’s successful arrest of Tarabishi shows clear evidence of the game-changing impact the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement efforts are having to restore common sense to our immigration system, strengthen national security and public safety in our country by arresting terrorists like this where prior administration’s recklessly gambled with the safety of all Americans by allowing foreign terrorists, transnational gang members, and other violent criminal aliens to remain in the U.S.”
What Happens Next
Tarabishi remains in ICE detention at the Bluebonnet Detention Center in Anson, Texas, with the next stage of his immigration case unclear at the time of publishing.
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