A Youngstown businessman remains in prison and on a hunger strike eight days after his controversial arrest by immigration officials. WKSU’s M.L. Schultze reports that a candlelight vigil for Amer Adi Othman is planned for tonight, and another protest Friday.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement confirms that Amer Adi remains in the private prison in Youngstown, which it says follows protocol for hunger strikers. It also says a request from a House Judiciary subcommittee to reopen the case is now under review.
The subcommittee passed the request Thursday night. Congressman Tim Ryan, who pushed it, had expected Adi to be released from the Geauga County Jail Friday.
Instead, ICE says it transferred him so his health can be monitored 24 hours a day by medical professionals. It said it could not have released him then because the subcommittee’s request had to be made in writing on subcommittee letterhead.
Immigration officials claim Adi’s first marriage in 1980 was a sham. He fought deportation for decades, but had been preparing to leave the country with his wife on Jan. 7. Though ICE allowed him to stay then, it arrested him when he went to an immigration meeting on Jan. 16.
