Today, the 57-year-old Palestinian-American business owner sits in the Geauga County jail awaiting deportation - the first time Adi has seen the inside of a jail cell in his three decades living in the United States.
"[ICE] arrested him like he was a criminal. Usually criminals have to do something wrong," Lina Adi, the second oldest of the family's four children told me.
No charges have been filed to warrant his arrest and Khaalid H. Walls, ICE spokesperson for the Northeastern region, which includes Ohio, would not say on what grounds he was detained nor the anticipated length of Adi's incarceration.
Less than two weeks ago, Amer and Fidaa had been preparing to voluntarily leave the country for Jordan, cooperating with a January 7 deadline issued by immigration authorities in September. As we reported, Adi received a last minute stay of deportation much to the relief of his family and community.
Comment: The back story: Palestinian-American gets last minute deportation reprieve thanks to help from community and local congressman