Supporter: 'America, you should be ashamed' at attempt to deport Raleigh father

Mosa Hamadeesa came to the United States for a better life for his family 10 years ago.

On June 1, he was taken into federal custody and is now being threatened with deportation.

Hamadeesa's wife and children were joined by supporters who want to see him released from custody. His 9-year-old daughter Nadine, who is being treated for a rare tumor at Duke University Hospital, said her father is her hero.

"My father was detained by ICE. He came to this country legal. My dad is an amazing father and he did everything he can to help us," Nadine said through tears.

Hamadeesa, who is Palestinian, applied for political asylum, but he was denied in 2015. Since then, he has worked hard to get his case re-opened, but mostly worked to support his wife and four children, three of whom are American citizens.

Historically, there is a triage process - immigrants who pose a public threat or break the law are the primary targets of the federal deportation process, but Hamadeesa's lawyer, Allison Chan, believes the policy is changing and her client is one of the casualties.

Chan says her client pays taxes, has gone through proper legal channels and has never been in trouble.

Hamadeesa is now a manager at an auto-repair shop in Apex.

"This is what makes America great. America is great because of families like this," said Burham Ghanayam, a friend of Hamadeesa's. "They work hard, they educate their children, they live their life dedicated to being good citizens."

Farris Barakat, the brother of UNC dental student Deah Barakat who was murdered along with his wife and sister-in-law in Chapel Hill in 2015, also spoke on the family's behalf.

"America, you should be ashamed of yourself. To be in a position to where we have no decency left," he said.

The decent thing, the crowd said, is to release Hamadeesa, and let him stay.

"(Hamadeesa) does not belong in prison," said Burham. "He doesn't belong anywhere except in his house with his family."

Nadine's doctors say if her family is forced to leave the country, she will not get the medical care she needs.

ICE said that because Hamadeesa has exhausted his legal remedies, they have no choice but to deport him. His supporters ar reaching out to Congressman David Price for help.