The Voice News: A federal judge in Colorado has temporarily barred the Trump administration from deporting the wife and children of Mohamed Sabry Soliman, the Egyptian man accused of attacking a pro-Israel rally in Boulder with molotov cocktails.
U.S. District Judge Gordon P. Gallagher ruled Wednesday that removing Soliman’s family without due process could cause “irreparable harm,” and scheduled a hearing for June 13. The emergency decision came after lawyers for Soliman’s wife, Hayam El Gamal, and their five children argued that the family was being unlawfully detained and denied legal protections.
El Gamal and her children, aged 4 to 17, were taken into custody Tuesday and transported to a family detention center in Dilley, Texas. Their lawyers said they were held incommunicado and denied access to legal counsel, despite having applied for asylum and being in the U.S. for nearly three years — facts that make them ineligible for expedited removal under current law.
Court filings reveal that the family arrived in the U.S. in August 2022 on visitor visas and soon after applied for asylum. El Gamal, a network engineer, has a pending EB-2 visa application for professionals with advanced degrees. Their eldest daughter, Habiba Soliman, recently graduated from high school in Colorado Springs and received a scholarship to study medicine.
The Trump administration had planned to deport the family immediately, posting on social media: “Six One-Way Tickets for Mohamed’s Wife and Five Kids. Final Boarding Call Coming Soon.” Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed the family’s detention and said officials were investigating whether they had knowledge of or aided Soliman’s actions.
Soliman, 45, is facing state and federal charges, including attempted murder and a federal hate crime. Authorities allege he targeted a peaceful demonstration by the pro-Israel group “Run for Their Lives,” using a flamethrower to hurl molotov cocktails into the crowd while shouting “Free Palestine.” He allegedly told investigators he had planned the attack for a year and waited until his daughter graduated to carry it out.
Despite Soliman’s statements that his family had no knowledge of his plans, ICE moved to deport them. His lawyers argue this is a case of unconstitutional collective punishment.
“This kind of family punishment is rooted in ancient and authoritarian legal systems,” said Eric Lee, one of the attorneys representing the family, likening it to practices under Hammurabi’s Code or Nazi Germany’s “Sippenhaft” policy.
The case highlights the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration policies during his second term, including mass deportations, curtailed asylum access, and broader enforcement measures. These actions have faced growing legal challenges from civil rights groups and state governments.
While Judge Gallagher’s order blocks immediate deportation, he has not yet ordered the family’s release ahead of the upcoming hearing.