The case of a Youngstown businessman took another dramatic turn on Thursday. As Amer Othman Adi sat in the Geauga County Jail, on a hunger strike and awaiting deportation, lawmakers pushed to grant him a six-month stay while his case goes under further review.
Adi, the 57-year-old owner of the Downtown Circle Convenience store, was suddenly taken into custody by immigration officials during a , less than two weeks after being granted a temporary stay.
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 both Democratic and Republican politicians.
Rep. Tim Ryan pushed a special bill in the House that would ask federal immigration officials to release Adi from jail and grant him a stay of deportation. On Thursday night, the House Judiciary subcommittee on Immigration and Border Security approved Ryan鈥檚 bill, requesting from the Department of Homeland Security a further review of Adi鈥檚 case and a six-month stay of deportation.
Ryan celebrated the night鈥檚 action, but called for systemic change.
鈥淎mer and his family helped me make the case because he鈥檚 such a good guy and has lived such a noble life,鈥� Ryan says. 鈥淪o 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.鈥�
Adi had been planning to self-deport to Jordan on Jan. 7, but immigration officials announced they鈥檇 reconsider his case before apparently changing their minds. Ryan criticized immigration officials for making a 鈥渟pectacle鈥� out of Adi鈥檚 case.
Fidaa Musleh, Adi鈥檚 wife, said she 鈥渇elt as if it was some type of conspiracy.鈥�
鈥淲hy would you let this man buy a ticket, have his bags ready to go, sell his home鈥� and then you trick him into going back thinking there is something positive that ICE had to say to him,鈥� Musleh told WKSU
To protest his treatment, Adi staged a hunger strike at the jail. Musleh said she thought the intention was to ensure he wouldn鈥檛 be detained for months.
鈥淚 have to stay strong,鈥� Musleh said. 鈥淚 have a business in downtown Youngstown. I can鈥檛 stop. I have to keep going for him, for the girls.鈥欌€�
Adi is expected to be released on Friday.
