A family in Colorado found themselves caught in a chaotic immigration ordeal over the weekend, as shifting legal orders led to their detention, attempted removal, and sudden return to the United States.
The mother and her five children—relatives of Mohammed Soliman, who is accused of carrying out a firebombing at a pro-Israel rally in Boulder last year—had only recently been released from a Texas immigration facility after spending 10 months in custody. A judge had ordered their release and specifically prohibited their deportation.
However, just two days later, during a scheduled check-in with immigration authorities in Colorado, attorneys say the family was taken back into custody. They were reportedly told they would be deported to Egypt and were placed on a flight out of the country, despite the existing court order blocking such action.
Lawyers quickly sought emergency intervention across multiple federal courts. Judges in both Texas and Colorado issued urgent rulings halting the deportation. According to reports, the plane carrying the family was forced to reverse course mid-flight and return to Denver.
A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security did not directly confirm the re-detention but described Soliman as a terrorist and criticized the judge who had previously ordered the family’s release. The spokesperson also stated that the family had been granted due process and was subject to a final removal order.
The family has denied any involvement in the alleged attack, which resulted in one death. Following Soliman’s arrest, his former spouse, Hayam El Gamal, ended their marriage. The family initially entered the United States from Egypt in 2022 on tourist visas and later applied for asylum. That application was denied after the Boulder incident, though El Gamal and her children submitted another request while in detention.