CINCINNATI — Two former chaplains at Cincinnati Children's Hospital were terminated after publicly supporting their former colleague, Imam Ayman Soliman, who was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) earlier this month.
"I don't regret this," Lizzy Diop, former Cincinnati Children's chaplain told the Scripps News Group. "I regret that the hospital fired me, I regret their silence in the matter. I'm a chaplain right? I don't regret that god called me to do justice, love, kindness."
Diop spoke with the Scripps News Group multiple times, including one day after speaking with her friend Soliman while he was in the Butler County jail. While she neither commented on their work together at the hospital nor was she representing the hospital in the interview, she was fired a few days later.
"I felt I had permission," Diop said. "I'm not sure they would describe it as permission."
Her colleague Adam Allen, who became a chaplain at Children's Hospital in 2022, also lost his job.
"I don't think most of us have a situation where we have a co-worker that's going to be deported and killed," Allen said.
WATCH: Diop and Allen share their thoughts following their termination
Allen said he was notified of his termination on Monday after participating in a July 17 prayer vigil for Soliman that turned into an impromptu march and ended in the arrest of over a dozen people, including two journalists.
"There was an HR meeting with our department to discuss media policies," Allen told the Scripps News Group. "I understood from that meeting that I shouldn't be a speaker. I could be misrepresented in the media as being a representative of the hospital. So, I wore a shirt to the event that said, 'I do not represent Cincinnati Children's Hospital.'"
He was among the participants who took to the Roebling Bridge after the vigil, but was not among those arrested that evening. Allen maintains that whenever he made public comments, on social media or otherwise, he made it clear he was speaking in his personal capacity.
Although the First Amendment protects speech against the government or public governmental entities, it doesn't protect from private employers.
"Work was like my passion," Diop said. "And I adored the kids that I got to care for and adored the staff that I cared alongside, so it's painful."
Despite losing their jobs, Soliman's former colleagues said they stand by their decision.
"I only regret not being louder, louder about Ayman's situation," Allen said.
They continue advocating for Soliman and praying for his release.
"I'm praying fervently that every single person who comes into contact with Ayman is moved by compassion and wisdom," Diop said.
The Scripps News Group reached out to Cincinnati Children's, asking if they could confirm that Diop was fired because of her interview with the Scripps News Group, and for a copy of their employee media policy.
They replied with a statement: "We don't comment on current or former personnel."
This article was written by Jay Shakur for the Scripps News Group in Cincinnati.
