An Arlington man who has been in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody since last fall is accepting removal to his home country of Jordan.
The family of Maher Tarabishi announced Thursday he will voluntarily leave the U.S. 鈥渋n order to secure his freedom鈥� following the death of his 30-year-old son, Wael Tarabishi, who died last month in the ICU at the Mansfield Medical Center while his father was detained at the Bluebonnet Detention Facility in Anson, 200 miles west of Dallas.
鈥淲ael was Maher鈥檚 reason to keep fighting,鈥� the family said in a statement posted to Instagram, 鈥渢o comply with every requirement of his immigration case and to endure inhumane cruel detention conditions.鈥�
Maher Tarabishi was detained in late October after his annual check-in at the Dallas ICE Field office. He came to the U.S. from Jordan in 1994. ICE alleged he was a 鈥渟elf-admitted member of the Palestine Liberation Organization,鈥� something his family denies.
For months, the family and advocates asked for his humanitarian release so he could care for his son, who had Pompe Disease, a rare genetic condition. They also asked for his release to attend his son鈥檚 funeral, which was denied.
鈥淚CE is responsible for every single thing that's happening to my family right now," Tarabishi鈥檚 daughter-in-law Shahd Arnaout told 四虎影院 last month.
The family said in the statement ICE鈥檚 detention of Maher 鈥渟tripped Wael of his primary caretaker and ultimately led to his death.鈥�
They have started fundraising efforts for Tarabishi鈥檚 return to Jordan to secure housing and pay for basic needs.
It鈥檚 unclear if Tarabishi鈥檚 family will return with him.
Priscilla Rice is 四虎影院鈥檚 communities reporter. Got a tip? Email her at price@kera.org.
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