7/15/25 Reposted from ohiocapitaljournal.com
Attorneys for Ayman Soliman want to avoid a move that could put him in a harsher jurisdiction with limited access to legal counsel.
Update: On Tuesday, a federal district judge granted the habeas corpus petition in Ayman Soliman’s case. Under that order, federal authorities are not to remove Soliman from his current jurisdiction or allow him to removed from it without a court order.
Cincinnati-area imam and hospital chaplain Ayman Soliman is currently being held at the Butler County jail. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested him at a routine check-in last week.
Soliman fled Egypt in 2014 and was granted asylum status in the U.S. in 2018. Since then, he’s applied for a green card, and worked as a chaplain, including at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital.
Soliman has no criminal record in the U.S., but in June, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services revoked Soliman’s asylum status. He’s currently challenging the move in court.
Attorneys for Soliman have also filed a habeas corpus petition to keep Soliman in the Butler County jail. They worry the government might move him a different facility, potentially putting him in a less favorable jurisdiction while cutting him off from legal counsel.
“We have witnessed numerous incidents of detainees being removed under the cover of darkness and hastily shuffled from one location to another without legal contact,” Muslim Legal Fund of American Attorney Kate Brady said. “This filing is an attempt to shield Mr. Soliman from these detrimental tactics, and we urge the Court to fulfill our request.”
Cincinnati’s Democratic U.S. Rep. Greg Landsman said on Facebook he’d gotten commitments that ICE would not move Soliman.
On Monday, District Court Judge Michael Barrett directed parties in the case to figure out timing for an immediate conference, but as of Monday afternoon there’s been no official decision on the habeas petition.
In an email, an ACLU of Ohio spokeswoman said they expect Soliman to have a bond hearing July 23.
In a written statement a Department of Homeland Security spokesman stressed that a pending application or lawful status don’t shield a person from immigration enforcement action.
“USCIS is responsible for administering America’s lawful immigration system, ensuring the integrity of the immigration process, and protecting the interests of the American people by screening and vetting aliens,” the statement continued. “But generally speaking, and as a matter of practice, USCIS does not discuss the details of individual immigration cases and adjudication decisions.”
How we got here
According to Soliman’s habeas petition, federal authorities informed him last December that they would begin the process of revoking his asylum status. On June 3, his asylum status was officially terminated.
According to an affidavit, Soliman challenged his revocation and initially got a July 3 court date. The court date got pushed back and ICE asked him to show up for a regular check-in.
Instead, when he showed up July 9, Soliman was met by an ICE and FBI agents who subsequently interrogated him for more than two hours.
They asked about his “views on Egyptian politicians and well known organizations in Egypt and in the surrounding Middle East area,” Soliman’s affidavit described. They also asked about Soliman’s time in the U.S. and his family’s political affiliations.
At the end of the interview, the agents placed Soliman under arrest. His attorney argued Soliman is not a flight risk or a threat to the community, and offered to have him wear an ankle monitor or check in regularly on a phone app. The agents turned her down.
In a press release, Soliman’s attorney Nazly Mamedova argued, “Mr. Soliman overcame hurdles to create a home in the United States, following every rule and process along the way. We remain steadfast in our commitment to securing his safety and release.”
Soliman’s case has prompted pushback from local leaders and state lawmakers who argue federal officials aren’t being transparent.
State Rep. Rachel Baker, D-Cincinnati, called Soliman “a man of peace and empathy — a caregiver, a faith leader, and a bridge-builder in our community.”
“It is deeply disturbing that we are now detaining non-criminal religious leaders who are following the legal process,” she added. “We are calling for answers and accountability following his unexpected detention. The America I believe in prioritizes compassion, common sense, and due process.”
The problems came to light in 2021, when Soliman was offered a job as a chaplain with the Oregon Department of Corrections. Soliman’s job offer was eventually rescinded because he was unable to clear up an FBI flag in his background check.
Looking for answers, Soliman filed record requests with federal agencies and eventually took them to court.
“The Department of Corrections could not fully clear him to begin his position because of an unresolved ‘FBI flag’ on his background check,” his complaint states. “That, combined with the numerous “SSSS” designations on his boarding passes when he travels, give him reason to believe he is included in the Terrorist Screening Database.”
The Ohio Capital Journal reached out to the FBI about Soliman’s status.
“The FBI does not confirm or deny an individual’s watchlist status,” a spokesperson wrote back. “The Threat Screening Center (TSC) is dedicated to ensuring watchlisting and screening activities are conducted in a manner consistent with protecting privacy and civil liberties.”
