Community sending words of encouragement to Youngstown man in ICE custody
Dozens showed up at the Circle Hookah and Bar Monday night to write messages of hope.
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio - It's been nearly a week since Youngstown businessman Amer "Al" Adi Othman was taken into custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
"I talked to him earlier today. He gave us a call. He actually said he was doing good. His spirits were still high," said Lina Adi, Al's daughter.
To help Adi stay strong, the family joined the community Monday night in making sure he gets a few words of encouragement.
Dozens showed up at the Circle Hookah and Bar writing messages of hope.
"I just wanted you to stay strong and we are all hoping for the best."
"You're one of the most caring and kind-hearted people I know."
"You out of all people did not deserve this."
The letters are designed to give Adi the will to stay strong while facing deportation. Adi remains on a hunger strike which is going into its 7th day.
"Just to let him know that we're still here, and no one in this community has lost hope yet. When I talked to him earlier he has a little radio that they gave him and he heard the protest," said Lina. "So he heard me talking and I'm happy that he knows that we are all out here fighting for him. The point of this is just to keep his hopes up and for other people, besides me and my family, that get to talk to him so that he knows he does have the whole community backing him."
In her letter to Al, Christine Rickallah shared a story about taking her nine-year-old granddaughter to the demonstration over the weekend.
"Although Aubrey is only nine-years-old, I told her the cold hard truth about the arrest of Amer. Aubrey cried and cried and she told me this is not what she learned in school about our country. She asked me, how could they do this to him. I had no answer for her."
Rickallah says she has known Adi for 25 years. "My husband and I can't sleep. It's been a nightmare," said Rickallah. "I'm just in shock. I can't, I mean what is this Nazi Germany. I mean, we have rights you know, even murderers are given more rights and ability to speak their case than Amer. I mean, they've treated him like he's some kind of criminal. This is a wonderful man, an asset to our community, a beautiful human being, a beautiful heart. I don't know what they're thinking or how they could do this."
The Adi family says it's still surreal that Al is behind bars and they are also writing letters to Rebecca Adducci, the Director of ICE.
"He's not a criminal. He was never a flight risk. He has always done whatever ICE has told him to do. Routine check-ins for the last 30 years. So there's no reason for this type of action, to put him in jail, and I think that she needs to know that and I hope that this opens up her eyes and makes her realize that this is just a little bit absurd. He didn't do anything. There is no reason for him to be there or give us a reason and tell us why. You can't just blatantly ignore all of us. So that's what this letter to her is, just respectfully asking her to please let him out. We've had enough. It's been six days. He's on a hunger strike. I hold her responsible if something happens to him. It will be her responsibility," said Lina.
As they fight for justice and the man they love, the community is hoping maybe the pen will be mightier than the sword.
