Mike Hager (pictured), who had claimed that President Trump's travel ban caused his sick Iraqi mother to die after she was stopped from traveling to the US for treatment, has been exposed as a fraud

A Detroit man who claimed Donald Trump's travel ban caused his sick Iraqi mother to die after she was stopped from traveling to the US for treatment has been exposed as a fraud.

Mike Hager, who fled Iraq during the Gulf War, had returned to his country of birth with his mother 75-year-old mother Naimma to visit family but while they were there she fell ill.

He claimed they decided to travel back to Michigan at the weekend so she could get urgent treatment, only to be stopped at an Iraqi airport and told Naimma had to stay in the gulf country as she only held a green card. She died soon after, the grieving son claimed.

However, an Islamic leader in Dearborn, Michigan, has refuted Hager's claim, and said instead the 75-year-old woman died in Iraq five days before Trump's ban was rolled out.

Imam Husham Al-Hussainy, leader of the Karbalaa Islamic Educational Center in Dearborn, told WJBK that Naimma died on January 22 - days before Hager claims.

Al-Hussainy said Hager's mother was suffering from kidney disease, for which she was receiving treatment in the US.

Hager has been exposed after he previously told Fox News his mother would still be alive today if it weren't for the Trump's new ban.

He said: 'I was just shocked. I had to put my mom back on the wheelchair and take her back and call the ambulance and she was very very upset. She knew right there if we send her back to the hospital she's going to pass away - she's not going to make it.

'I really believe this in my heart: if they would have let us in, my mom - she would have made it and she would have been sitting right here next to me. She's gone because of him.

Hager falsely claimed that when he and his mother, pictured, arrived at the airport in Iraq, he was told he could travel back to the US, as he was an American citizen, but his mother would have to stay in Iraq as she only held a green card

President Donald Trump shows his signature on an executive action announcing 'extreme vetting' for people traveling to the US

'You have to understand you have a daughter - you have family - imagine if somebody does that to your mom. You put the terrorists on this side - the bad people - but don't mix everyone together.'

And he added that despite having lived in the US for over 20 years and having American citizenship, he is worried if he will be able to stay.

Trump signed the executive order on Friday that temporarily bans refugees and people from seven Muslim-majority countries, sparking tumult at US airports and protests in major American cities.

The countries include Iran, Iraq, Syria, Sudan, Libya, Yemen and Somalia.