Two hospital chaplains at Cincinnati Children's Hospital, identified as Lizzy Diop and Adam Allen, were recently terminated from their positions after showing public support for their former colleague, Imam Ayman Soliman, who is currently detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), as reported by News 5 Cleveland and KSBY. Diop shared in an interview with Scripps News Group, "I don't regret this. 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."
Facing termination on Monday, Allen participated in a prayer vigil-turned-march last Thursday and was previously informed in an HR meeting about potential misrepresentation in the media while engaging in public disputes. "I wore a shirt to the event that said, 'I do not represent Cincinnati Children's Hospital,'" Allen told the KSBY news. Despite wearing the shirt that disclaimed affiliation with the hospital, he was dismissed. Diop and Allen have vowed to continue their advocacy for Soliman while lamenting their respective job losses, stating the act as a collision of duty and faith-driven conviction to stand with their former co-worker.
In a statement obtained by Salon, Cincinnati Children's Hospital CEO Steve Davis reminded staff of expectations to adhere to hospital policies, without guiding into political dynamics. "As a Nonprofit Charitable Organization, Cincinnati Children’s has strict rules it must follow when engaging in activities that could be characterized as political," Davis penned in an internal staff letter.
Compounding the issue was Cincinnati Children's previous scrutiny for declining a 12-year-old placement on a heart transplant list due to vaccination status, a situation cited by Salon. The hospital's stance on remaining apolitical and following internal media policies was underscored in their admonition against employees speaking out, which caught the attention of President Trump's administration for penalizing institutions over issues like student protests and historical narratives. Allen and Diop, while expressing regret over not amplifying their voices further, underscored the intrinsic conflict of witnessing a friend and colleague swept up in a system that seemed impervious to personal connection and history shared within hospital walls.
Following inquiries about the terminations and hospital policies, Cincinnati Children's Hospital responded with a concise and customary line: "We don't comment on current or former personnel," according to News 5 Cleveland. Both chaplains have signaled their resolve to fight for Soliman's cause and are poised to navigate the aftermath of their firings as public attention converges on this emotive confluence of deportation, policy, and personal conviction.
