COLUMBUS, Ohio — Almost two months after former Cincinnati Children's chaplain Ayman Soliman was detained following what was supposed to be a routine ICE check, friends and colleagues continue to call for his release.
A group of clergy and advocates gathered in Columbus Monday to bring their concerns to state leaders, specifically Gov. Mike DeWine.
"Governor DeWine, your intervention and advocacy can turn despair into hope," said Tala Ali, chair of the Cincinnati Islamic Association and a friend of Soliman.
Soliman's asylum status was revoked earlier this year. We have previously reported on why the former chaplain's asylum status was revoked.
Ali explained in Monday's press conference why they are taking their concerns to the highest office in Ohio.
"The fact that he can have weight with this, and that we urged him to do this before, you know at least to make a statement," Ali said.
WATCH: What an immigration law expert says about DeWine's ability to intervene in this federal case
Following their press conference, advocates walked out of the statehouse and to the governor's office, where they delivered a letter explaining their cause to the governor.
The letter was signed by 1,166 members of the faith community, asking for DeWine to come to Soliman's aid, as he remains behind bars inside the Butler County Jail.
Following the press conference, I spoke with Matthew Boaz, an assistant professor of law at the University of Kentucky and an immigration law expert. I asked Boaz what, if anything, DeWine could do in this case.
"In general, state actors and politicians, even if they have power that would allow them to intervene in state-level issues, cannot do so typically in immigration matters, because immigration is governed by federal law," Boaz said.
I played Boaz a portion of the livestreamed press conference and letter delivery to DeWine's office, when an advocate read off this passage: "We respectfully call on you, Governor, to intervene on our friend's behalf — to use the authority of your office to secure his release and ensure the restoration of his asylum status."
"There's not something that he can do in his official capacity to intervene, legally," Boaz said.
However, the UK law professor told me that public support from leaders like DeWine could have an impact in certain circumstances.
"If there is a high-profile case that seems unjust or sort of outside of the norm, that's when you might see that intervention, at least a vocal backing of an individual, from a state-level official, may yield some sort of result," Boaz said.
But that's no guarantee.
"I think it can make a difference, I don't know necessarily if it will because of the technical aspects of the case, but certainly it can have a positive effect," Boaz said.
The Butler County Sheriff's Office posted on Facebook Monday that Sheriff Richard Jones appeared on local radio and responded to the advocates' appeal to DeWine. The sheriff said he would reject any request from the Governor regarding the release of Soliman. Jones cited his duty to enforce all laws, including federal immigration laws.
“I am an elected Sheriff by the people of Butler County, chosen to serve six (6) terms. It is my sworn duty to protect this community and to uphold the law—including federal immigration law. I do not pick and choose which laws to enforce, I do not fear the Governor, I would fear compromising the safety of the citizens I serve.”
You can read more about Sheriff Jones' comments on 700 WLW here.
Soliman's next hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 26.
Community Letter to Governor DeWine by webeditors
