After 72 days, Ohio chaplain regains freedom and asylum

By Farah Siddiqi

After more than two months in detention, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Chaplain Ayman Soliman walked free on Friday, when federal authorities dropped removal proceedings against him and reinstated his asylum status.

Soliman's case drew national attention for showing how asylum protections can be suddenly revoked, even for longtime residents. Community leaders celebrated his release at the Clifton Mosque in Cincinnati.

Soliman said the support he received helped him endure 72 days behind bars.

"I would never have made it without my faith and the beautiful, amazing, kind individuals who kept pushing me and kept uplifting me, and kept supporting me," Soliman explained.

Attorneys for the Department of Homeland Security had argued Soliman once gave “material support” to a terrorist group in Egypt. But legal experts and advocacy groups countered the department relied on misinterpreted academic sources and his lawyers said the allegations were baseless. The Immigration and Customs Enforcement Office of the Principal Legal Advisor for Detroit-Cleveland, which represents the agency in this jurisdiction, did not respond to requests for comment on why the case was dropped.

In an interview with Public News Service, Soliman said the abrupt termination of his asylum status reveals a vulnerability all asylum-seekers share.

"If they did it to me, they can do it to anyone," Soliman emphasized. "Actually, the law allows the USCIS to terminate anyone’s asylum."

Immigration authorities say while asylum provides protection, it can be revoked if new concerns arise. But Soliman’s case highlighted both the fragility of asylum protections and the impact of public mobilization, as hundreds rallied, donated, and sent letters during his detention.

After months of lawsuits and vigils, his attorneys said they still lack clarity on why the proceedings ended. For now, Soliman added he is focused on rest and recovery. His supporters are calling for reforms to ensure other asylum-seekers are not detained under similar circumstances.

Reporting by Ohio News Connection in association with Media in the Public Interest and funded in part by the George Gund Foundation.