Ayman is Free Because of You

By Samantha Searls, Program Director

It’s been a hard year, especially for immigrants and their allies. Racial profiling, separating families, revoking legal status – it’s been nonstop. Every day we see horrible things happening to innocent people.

But then, on Friday, September 19, 2025 something miraculous happened. Something good happened.

*Part of Ayman’s core organizing team at the post-release press conference.*

Ayman Soliman was set free.

I couldn’t believe it. In fact, when I got the call, I braced myself for bad news because that’s what I’ve come to expect. Instead of tears of sorrow, we all cried tears of joy. It all happened so fast and the question we all asked ourselves was “HOW?” What got them to release Imam Ayman from ICE custody so abruptly?

We may never know the exact tipping point, but what we do know is this: Ayman is free because of you.

The day before his release, Ayman and his supporters were preparing for his trial to start on September 25. His legal team was ready, supported by numerous expert witnesses, to argue that the federal government did not have grounds to terminate his asylum status nor remove him from the United States. His supporters were preparing to rally outside federal courthouses across the state and had just purchased a banner for the protest.

In anticipation of a trial, the government was preparing too. They must have realized in their preparation that we were right all along – they had no case against Ayman. They had no evidence. So they abruptly dropped his case, released him from detention, and reinstated his asylum status in a matter of hours on that Friday morning. After 72 days in detention, Ayman was freed.

His attorneys said they have never seen anything like it. His team hypothesized that because of the sustained public pressure and the national attention Ayman had received, the government gave up. That is what the power of the people can do.

*Ayman speaking to the press after his release.*

To each and every person who called Governor DeWine, released a statement, showed up at a rally or vigil, sent letters, prayed, chalked sidewalks, wrote songs, and shared Ayman’s story – thank you. Each action we take is so important, even if we don’t get to see the immediate impact.

There are so many untold stories of valued members of our community being unjustly detained by ICE. In his remarks at his post-release press conference (watch part one, and part two on Instagram), Ayman talked about all the wonderful immigrants he met inside. He said they were the “best of the best.”

The reality is our system inherently views immigrants with suspicion – painting all immigrants as threats. Instead of “innocent until proven guilty” it’s “guilty until proven innocent.” All of us deserve the safety that comes with knowing our systems are designed to protect people, not target them.

While every case might not be as cut and dry like Ayman’s, it’s important we recognize the fundamental dignity of every detained person and advocate to change this violent system.