CINCINNATI (WKRC) — A local religious leader is in the Butler County Jail.
Ayman Soliman is an Egyptian immigrant, an imam, and a former chaplain at Cincinnati Children's Hospital. He is being detained by ICE after his asylum status was terminated in June.
Soliman's legal counsel told Local 12 that this can happen if there were questions about whether he was actually eligible when he received asylum or if he is still eligible to receive it. This has been unfolding since Soliman arrived in the United States more than a decade ago.
"He arrived in the United States on March 6, 2014," said Kate Brady, Head of the Muslim Legal Fund of America Immigration Litigation Department.
Soliman came to the U.S. seeking political asylum.
"He was a journalist, and he reported on the revolution as it happened, and that did not go over well," said Christina Jump, Head of the Civil Litigation Department at the Muslim Legal Fund of America.
"He was arrested, I believe it was at least twice, officially, maybe once a little more informally, and was subject to torture, and it was for his political opinion," Brady said.
Brady and Jump stated that Soliman was granted asylum in 2018. He applied for a green card the following year, and that request is still pending. Jump has been Soliman's lead counsel in civil proceedings since 2021, starting with Soliman seeking a job as a prison chaplain in Oregon.
"That's where the FBI flag first came up," said Jump. "The second time that he went through the background check again through the Oregon Department of Corrections, there was a fingerprint report that popped up that came up of somebody who had a conviction."
Jump said that the Oregon State Police found it wasn't Soliman's fingerprint. Soliman ended up not getting the job. In 2023, Jump said that a hacker found a terrorist watchlist. One version has Soliman's name on it.
"He is on the 2019 version of the terrorist watch list," said Jump.
"I can tell you though that has not been in either writing or verbally brought up when I've been in the immigration proceedings with him," Brady said.
The Muslim Legal Fund of America provided Local 12 with a timeline of their work on the civil side involving Soliman's cases with them:
- A federal court hearing in our main civil lawsuit for him took place on November 22, 2024, and the judge refused to dismiss the case as the government counsel requested. This judge also made clear that she will permit us to proceed against the Terrorist Screening Center, the agency that holds and determines placement on the Terrorist Watchlist.
- Twelve days later, USCIS sent Mr. Soliman a letter dated December 4, 2024, informing him that USCIS was considering revoking his asylum status.
- We filed our amended complaint, per the judge's instructions and to update the facts since the complaint was at that time almost three years outdated, on December 20, 2024.
- The government filed its response to the new complaint in late January 2025—again seeking to dismiss the case.
- We filed a federal court appeal in our separate lawsuit against the Terrorist Screening Center under the Freedom of Information Act on May 23, 2025.
- The government revoked Mr. Soliman's asylum status on June 3, 2025.
Brady said that Wednesday was the first time Soliman was ever required to check in with ICE. Soliman's legal counsel is asking for a bond to be set so he can possibly get out of detention. They're hoping for a quick decision.
Congressman Greg Landsman issued a statement regarding his ongoing efforts in support of Ayman Soliman.
We have been working on Ayman's case for months – well before this became public. We expect this to be a long process that he and his attorneys will be navigating. At every step of the way – before he was detained, afterward, and going forward – we have been and will continue working hand in hand with his legal team. We have secured a commitment that Ayman will be able to stay in Ohio for the time being – prior to his next appearances before the immigration court. While we cannot go into every detail, we are working to ensure Ayman receives due process, are pushing for him to be treated fairly, and are doing everything we can to keep him here at home.
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