Lawyers for Cincinnati Imam Ayman Soliman, who was detained by ICE in July, has been released from prison according to his lawyers.
"This outcome is a testament to the strength of the legal system and the unwavering pursuit of justice," the Law Offices of Nazly Mamedova posted on social media Friday, along with pictures of Soliman standing in a suit outside of the Butler County Jail. "This is more than just a legal victory — it’s a powerful reminder that due process and dedication can bring about real change."
WVXU has reached out to the law office and is waiting to hear back.
Soliman was detained by ICE officials during a routine check-in on July 9. Soliman had immigrated to the United States in 2014 from Egypt, where he worked as a freelance journalist during years of intense political conflict. He applied for asylum status in 2015 and it was granted in 2018.
Soliman began working at Cincinnati Children's Hospital in 2021 as the first and only Muslim chaplain there. He also served on the board of the Clifton Mosque, and at the time of his detainment, had been filling in as temporary imam while that community searched for a full-time imam.
In December 2024, he learned the government was considering revoking his asylum. There are many reasons an immigrant's asylum status can be revoked, such as criminal conduct in the United States, or a change of circumstances in the home country that eliminates the need for asylum.
Kathryn Brady, Immigration Litigation Department Head at the Muslim Legal Fund of America, told WVXU at the time of Soliman's detainment that neither was true in his case; instead, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services said they believed he was not actually eligible for asylum.
In June, Soliman's asylum status officially was revoked.
The news of Soliman's detainment sparked protests locally, including one where police arrested more than a dozen people on the Roebling bridge.
— With reporting by Becca Costello and Nick Swartsell
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