x
Breaking News
More () »

Youngstown businessman facing deportation after being detained by ICE

After fighting for decades to stay in America, Amer Othman thought he had won.

Amer "Al Adi" Othman is the owner of Downtown Circle in Youngstown.

He thought was granted a stay from deportation last week. He'd been fighting to stay in this country for years, after his citizenship was denied because of "a claim that his first marriage, from 1979, was fraudulent."

Congressman Tim Ryan, Tracy Winbush, the Vice Chair of the Mahoning County Republican Party, and Al's lawyers worked together to get Al a stay.

They even threw a party, to celebrate the good news.

On Tuesday, Al was scheduled for a hearing with ICE to find out the next step to take to remain in the United States.

But when he got there, he was immediately detained, and then put in handcuffs.

"He was ready to leave, we had our ticket, we had our luggage packed," said Al's wife Fidaa. "They tricked him into coming back, telling him that there's a stay. So he comes back, and suddenly they tell him were not going to beat around the bush and they're going to take him into custody, which they did."

Fidaa didn't ever get a chance to say good-bye to her husband. Congressman Tim Ryan described the scene as 'appalling.'

"If this is what happens to somebody who shows up with their congressman, imagine the tens and thousands of people who show up without a lawyer, without a congressman," Ryan said. "How do they get treated? We're a better country than this."

"I thought America was better than this," Winbush added. "I would not have believed this had I not seen it with my own eyes."

ICE issued a statement saying Mr. Othman will be deported. The agency says, "he does not have a legal basis to remain in the U.S. and he will remain in ICE custody pending removal from the United States."

It's not clear how long Othman could be in custody before he's sent back to Jordan.

Othman's business will be taken over by family members so the people who work for him won't lose their jobs.

MORE: Trump administration will ask Supreme Court to reverse DACA ruling

Before You Leave, Check This Out