More than a week has passed, but the community around Clifton Mosque in Cincinnati, Ohio is still reeling after the detention of their beloved imam, Egyptian-born Ayman Soliman. The shockwave hit hard on July 9, when Soliman was abruptly taken into custody during what was supposed to be a routine check-in with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) — just weeks after being notified that his asylum status had been revoked after more than seven years of protection in the U.S.
“This has broken people,” says Tala Ali, chair of the Clifton mosque. “There’s a real fear now that if ICE can come after our leaders, elders, and scholars, then the rest of us don’t stand a chance.” The community is angry, devastated, and desperately praying for his release.
Government Accusations Stir Controversy
Federal authorities claim that Soliman provided "material support" to a so-called “Tier III terrorist organization”, referring to his past ties with Al-Gameya al-Shareya, a respected Egyptian charity organization. According to USCIS, this organization is allegedly linked to the Muslim Brotherhood — a controversial group not officially listed as a terrorist organization by the U.S. government.
“None of this adds up,” says Julia Healy, attorney at the Law Office of Nazly Mamedova. “The government's case is built on a house of cards. They're stretching to connect his work with a charity to terrorism — it’s absurd.”
Asylum History and Background
Ayman Soliman arrived in the United States in 2014 and was granted asylum status in 2018, citing threats to his life back in Egypt. Before coming to America, he had worked as a freelance journalist for a Spanish media outlet during Egypt’s 2011 revolution that ousted Hosni Mubarak. His coverage of the political unrest and eventual return to authoritarian rule put him at serious risk.
He was one of 15,000 Egyptians granted asylum in the U.S. following the 2013 Egyptian military coup, a crackdown that especially endangered journalists and civil society figures.
Unfolding Legal Drama and Immigration Targeting
Now, Soliman is scheduled to appear via video before an immigration judge on July 22, with a crucial bond hearing to follow on July 23. His legal team believes this is more than just a bureaucratic dispute — they suspect retaliation. A previous lawsuit filed by Soliman sought answers about why his name might appear on a Terrorist Screening Database (TSDS), despite no matching fingerprints or concrete evidence.
The Department of Homeland Security added to the confusion when Tricia McLaughlin, its assistant secretary for public affairs, posted on X (formerly Twitter) that Soliman had been “flagged by the FBI terror watchlist.” Yet, no solid evidence has been presented publicly, and the listing remains murky.
“Their so-called justification is weak and reeks of targeting,” says Healy. “If you challenge the system — even legally — it seems they’ll come for you. Asylum termination is rare, but it's being weaponized in this case.”
Growing Support and Rising Fear
As Soliman remains held at Butler County Jail, a facility infamous for its anti-immigrant rhetoric (complete with signs like “illegal aliens here”), protests have erupted across Cincinnati. The Greater Cincinnati Board of Rabbis and hundreds of supporters have rallied in defense of the detained imam.
On July 16, a temporary restraining order was granted, preventing his immediate transfer from Ohio, at least until after the bond hearing.
Despite the jail’s limitations, Soliman has continued serving spiritually. He led a Friday prayer for Muslim inmates and even advocated to help detainees get kosher food due to the lack of halal meals.
A Community on Edge
Among the 1,000-plus worshippers at the Clifton mosque — one of the oldest in Cincinnati, founded in the 1960s — the atmosphere is tense. Fear has crept into the daily lives of local Muslims. According to Ali, ICE agents have been knocking on doors, interrogating members, and asking questions about Soliman.
“They’re stopping by people’s homes,” Ali says. “Identifying themselves as ICE, asking things they already know. It feels like intimidation.”
One of Soliman’s few approved jail visitors, Dr. Ahmed Elkady, fears for the imam’s life if he’s deported to Egypt. “Over there, there’s no due process. If they take him, we won’t know where he’s gone, or if he’s even alive.”