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U.S. Rep. Ryan Says the Adi Deportaton Case Demonstates What's Wrong With the Deportation Push

Photo of Congressman Tim Ryan
U.S. HOUSE VIDEO

  Editor's clarification: The House Judiciary Committee's Immigration and Border Security subcommittee decided Thursday evening to request a report from the Department of Homeland Security on the Amer Adi case to decide if it should pass Ryan's bill. The action means a defacto stay in Adi's deportation, but the bill itself has not passed.

The case of a Youngstown businessman took another dramatic turn tonight as he sat in a jail, on a hunger strike and awaiting deportation.

The House Judiciary subcommittee on immigration passed a report to force the Department of Homeland Security to re-review the case of Amer Adi. Adi has been fighting deportation for decades over claims his first marriage was a sham. The plan to deport him drew protests from the Youngstown community and Congressman Tim Ryan, who is pushing a special bill in the House. Ryan celebrated last night’s action, but called for systemic change.

“Amer and his family helped me make the case because he’s such a good guy and has lived such a noble life. So it made it easier for me to make the case. But this speaks to the fact of why you need a comprehensive system that takes into account all people who are in a similar situation such as Amer and his family.” :21 

Adi had been planning to self-deport to Jordan on Jan. 7, but immigration officials announced they’d reconsider his case. When he showed up for a check-in this week, they jailed him. Ryan says he’s hoping for Adi’s release soon.

M.L. Schultze is a freelance journalist. She spent 25 years at The Repository in Canton where she was managing editor for nearly a decade, then served as WKSU's news director and digital editor until her retirement.