A libertarian activist from Orlando with a history of volunteering with the Libertarian Party of Florida is being held in federal immigration custody and facing possible deportation to Egypt, according to details shared with Independent Political Report.
A friend of Aly who has remained in contact with him during his detention told IPR on Friday that Izzy Aly, also known as Islam Mahmoud Aly, was detained by officers with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on December 22 after arriving at a U.S. airport following a trip to Egypt, where he had traveled to settle matters related to his late father’s estate. The return trip had reportedly been delayed for several months due to difficulties renewing his passport.
Aly, an Egyptian national who resides in the Orlando area, has been active for several years in libertarian political circles, including by attending meetings of the Libertarian Party of Florida to support the party’s activities. As a non-citizen, he was not eligible to vote in U.S. elections or make financial contributions to the party; however, peers say he frequently volunteered his time to libertarian causes.
He is also the owner of Kronotiq Media, a media consulting firm started about a decade ago that specializes in the production of audio and music, graphics, and entertainment software. State filing paperwork for the business confirmed Aly’s full name.
After being stopped on his way home, Aly reportedly remained in custody for several hours at the airport before being transferred to the GEO-owned Moshannon Valley Processing Center, a private immigration detention facility in Philipsburg, Pennsylvania. According to the account provided to IPR, he was initially held without a specific cause before immigration authorities began reviewing the status of his U.S. residency and his marriage to an American citizen.
IPR was able to locate Aly in a database maintained by the Executive Office for Immigration Review, which shows that he is scheduled for an initial hearing on March 23. The Access Corrections commissary system used by the Moshannon Valley Processing Center also lists an individual named Islam Aly currently housed at the facility and assigned the same identification number as the one provided to IPR by Aly’s friend.
During phone calls from detention, Aly reportedly described difficulties communicating with others outside the facility, including his attorney. He is being represented by an attorney with Urizar Molina Immigration Law whose contact information was shared with IPR. According to the account provided, attempts to exchange documents electronically with his attorney were sometimes delayed, and at least one call to a Central Florida activist was disconnected.
In more recent conversations, Aly reported experiencing respiratory symptoms while in detention and said several detainees appeared to be ill with what might be COVID-19. Earlier this week, he also said he had been transported to a hospital for evaluation and diagnosed with stage-three kidney failure that might soon require dialysis. The friend told IPR that Aly did not learn about the diagnosis until several weeks after the initial blood tests were conducted.
Supporters in the libertarian community have since expressed concern about Aly’s health and the length of his detention while his immigration status is reviewed. Some members have begun networking on social media to identify ways to raise awareness about his situation, with Aly’s friend telling IPR they hope public attention will help clarify the circumstances of his detention and ensure he receives appropriate medical care.
IPR has reached out directly to Aly’s attorney for additional details on his case and will update this article if further information becomes available. This article is developing.
The American government continues to flaunt its complete betrayal of the nation’s founding principles.