An imam affiliated with Clifton Mosque was detained by immigration officials Wednesday, according to faith leaders and Ohio state representatives who gathered to protest the detainment.
Ayman Soliman is an imam on the board of Clifton Mosque and was the first and only Muslim chaplain at Cincinnati Children's Hospital. He immigrated from Egypt in 2014 and was granted asylum status in 2018. This past December, he was informed that the government was considering revoking his asylum status; he attended a hearing in February, and was informed in early June that he was ineligible for asylum.
"One should not have to be an asset for their humanity to be recognized, but Ayman is that," said Tala Ali, chairperson of Clifton Mosque. "[He] showed up today for what he was told would be a regular check-in appointment with ICE."
Ali says Soliman has legal representation and was told a hearing on his asylum case would be scheduled later this summer. But when he arrived at the Homeland Security Office in Blue Ash for a check-in, he was questioned for three hours and then detained.
Cleveland-based attorney Robert Ratliff told WVXU he represents Soliman.
"We are disappointed by the decision to detain Mr. Soliman made by ICE officials today," he said in a statement. "We will be reviewing this matter and will make a statement at a later date and time."
Three state lawmakers met Soliman at the office before his meeting: Rep. Karen Brownlee and Rep. Rachel Baker from the Cincinnati area, and Rep. Munira Abdullahi from the Columbus area.
"He was so afraid before he walked in today, terrified that he'd be sent back to that torture," Abdullahi said.
Soliman is also represented by the Muslim Legal Fund of America, based in Texas. Representatives tell WVXU that Soliman suffered torture and persecution in Egypt. "He worked as a journalist and reported on the totalitarian dictatorship in Egypt at the time of the revolution there," said Christina Jump, Civil Litigation Department head, in a statement. "For that, he endured repeated torture and threats to his family."
"This is not the democracy that America has promised," Abdullahi said. "Ayman came here seeking peace and safety."
ICE has not yet responded to a request to comment.
Advocates say Soliman fears for his life if he is deported to Egypt, where his wife and one child still live. He was working to bring them to the United States to join him.
Soliman's bio on the Clifton Mosque website says he has a master's degree in Islamic Studies and is now pursuing a master's of divinity and a Ph.D.
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital declined to comment; Soliman was listed as a chaplain through at least early February, according to online archives. It's not clear when his name was removed from the website or what his current employment status there is.
The Muslim Legal Fund of America says Soliman's work authorization was through his asylum status; when it was revoked in early June, he lost work authorization.
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