After Mike Hager claimed earlier this week that his sick mother died as a result of President Trump's executive order on immigration, social media exploded with accusations that Trump was responsible -- albeit indirectly -- for the woman's demise. The same Michigan-based news outlet which originally published the story now reports that Hager's claim was a complete lie.
Man blames Trump for mother's death
Hager, an American citizen born in Iraq, told Detroit's FOX 2 on January 31 that while he and his family were waiting in line at the airport in Iraq, he was informed that he was allowed to board the plane but that his mother, a green card holder, was forced to stay behind.
According to Hager, he had to put his mother, Naimma, back on a wheelchair and call for an ambulance because she was so upset. Naimma later died and Hager claimed that if not for Trump's executive order, his mother would still be alive.
FOX 2 published Hager's claim on January 31 and, while the debunked original story still appears on the FOX 2 website, it now includes a retraction added on February 1, stating:
"The leader of a mosque in Dearborn has confirmed to FOX 2 that a man who claimed his mother died in Iraq after being barred from returning to the United States under a ban instituted by President Trump this weekend, lied to FOX 2 about when her death occurred."
She actually died five days before executive order went into effect
Hager's mother died five days before Trump's executive order was put into action, claims Imam Husham Al-Hussainy, who leads the Dearborn, Michigan, mosque Hager attended.
According to the Imam, Hager's mother suffered from a kidney disorder and had been receiving treatment in Michigan before she traveled to Iraq to visit relatives. She passed away on January 22.
FOX 2 attempted to contact Mike Hager after the revelations made by the Imam of the Karbalaa Islamic Educational Center, but Hager has thus far declined to comment.
Under Trump's executive order, travelers from Iran, Iraq, Syria, Sudan, Libya, Yemen and Somalia are prohibited from traveling to the United States for 90 days.
