In a Louisiana Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facility, Mahmoud Khalil remained confined as his wife gave birth to their son on Monday—over 1,000 miles away from the hospital room where he would have been standing.

Mr. Khalil, a permanent resident detained in Louisiana, had requested a monitored furlough for the birth. His request was denied in less than an hour.

Emails shared with The Associated Press say federal immigration authorities denied Mahmoud Khalil’s request for a temporary release from detention to attend the birth of his first child.