A federal judge has ordered the release from immigration custody of the family of a man charged in a fatal firebomb attack in Boulder, Colorado, last year. The ruling, issued on Thursday by U.S. District Judge Fred Biery in San Antonio, mandates that Hayam El Gamal and her five children can be released from a family immigration detention center in Dilley, Texas, provided that El Gamal and her eldest child, who is 18 years old, wear electronic monitoring devices. Judge Biery denied the government's request to stay his ruling pending an appeal.
Background of the Case
El Gamal, born in Saudi Arabia and an Egyptian national, has been in immigration detention since June 2025. Her husband, Mohamed Sabry Soliman, is accused of throwing two Molotov cocktails at demonstrators supporting Israeli hostages in Gaza. The attack, which occurred in Boulder, Colorado, injured 13 people, including an 82-year-old woman who later died from her injuries. El Gamal has expressed shock over her husband's actions.
Soliman, an Egyptian national living in the U.S. illegally according to federal authorities, faces prosecution in both state and federal court. Prosecutors allege he planned the attack for a year, driven by a desire “to kill all Zionist people.” He has pleaded not guilty to state charges, including murder, and federal hate crimes charges.
Immigration Proceedings and Deportation Order
Following the attack, the Trump administration claimed the family was being rushed out of the country. The White House posted on social media that they “COULD BE DEPORTED AS EARLY AS TONIGHT” and that six one-way tickets had been purchased for them, with a “final boarding call coming soon.”
Judge Biery's decision to release the family came despite an immigration appeals court dismissing their case to stay and issuing a deportation order. This followed a federal magistrate judge's recommendation on Monday that the family should be released. Lawyers for the family argue the deportation order was directed by political leadership in Washington, a claim denied by government attorney Anne Marie Cordova. Individuals with final deportation orders are typically subject to mandatory detention.
Legal Maneuvers and Next Steps
Judge Biery had previously barred the family's deportation until Thursday's hearing. One of the family's attorneys, Chris Godshall-Bennett, informed Biery that they will request the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans to halt deportation while they pursue asylum and permission to remain in the United States. Another federal judge had earlier blocked their immediate removal after the attack. Since then, the family has made multiple attempts to secure release on bond and return to Colorado as their asylum application is processed. The magistrate judge recommended their release after attorneys argued they had not received fair treatment in immigration proceedings.
