On Thursday evening, Hayam El Gamal and her five children were released from an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility in Texas after spending ten months in custody. This release followed a ruling by a federal judge in Texas, who ordered the government to refrain from deporting the family. Their situation stems from charges against El Gamal’s husband, Mohammed Soliman, who was linked to a violent incident involving protesters in Colorado.
### Legal Battle and Family Background
Soliman was charged in June 2025 with attempted murder for allegedly launching firebombs at a protest supporting Israeli hostages in Gaza. His family, including El Gamal, has maintained that they had no knowledge of his actions. They initially arrived in the United States on tourist visas in 2022 and subsequently applied for asylum before their visas expired. However, their asylum application was denied in the wake of Soliman’s legal troubles.
Following their release on Thursday, the family re-checked in with ICE at an office in Colorado. According to their attorneys, they were immediately re-detained and ordered for expulsion back to Egypt, causing distress among both El Gamal and her children.
### Allegations of Misconduct
The family’s lawyer, Chris Godshall-Bennett, described their second detention as a horrifying experience, stating that it seemed to violate the judge’s orders. “They were treated like animals,” he said, adding that the incident felt akin to kidnapping, as ICE transported the family without legal justification. Legal representatives quickly moved to intervene, seeking emergency rulings from federal courts in Texas and Colorado, reaffirming that the family should not be deported.
The urgency of the situation escalated when the Texas judge, Fred Biery, alongside another federal judge, issued explicit directives against their deportation. In a dramatic turn of events, the plane carrying El Gamal and her children was turned around mid-flight after these rulings, landing them back in Denver.
### Government Response
In the aftermath, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) did not confirm the family’s re-detention nor addressed the alleged violation of the judge’s order. DHS spokesperson Lauren Bis emphasized the seriousness of the charges against Soliman, describing him as a terrorist linked to hate crimes and insisting that the family underwent due process prior to their removal order.
Bis also noted that the government would continue to pursue the deportation of individuals it categorizes as associated with terrorism, framing their actions as a broader security measure.
### Continuing Legal Proceedings
El Gamal’s family remains in a precarious legal position as they navigate the complexities of immigration law following Soliman’s arrest. Chris Godshall-Bennett argues that the attempts to deport the family reflect a punitive response based not on immigration policy but on Soliman’s alleged actions. He criticized the administration for disregarding judicial authority and called for public concern regarding the implications of such actions.
El Gamal’s oldest daughter, Habiba, recently expressed the emotional toll that their prolonged detention had taken on their family. She described her mother’s deteriorating health conditions and articulated feelings of despair over the lengthy custody.
As the family prepares for further legal battles to secure their right to remain in the United States, their attorneys are working to challenge the deportation order and strengthen their second asylum application.
### Final Thoughts
The case highlights the intersecting issues of immigration enforcement and judicial authority, raising questions about the balance between national security and personal rights. As public scrutiny continues to grow, the outcome for El Gamal and her children remains uncertain as legal and political tensions escalate. Their lawyers remain committed to fighting for the family’s future in the United States, reflecting a broader concern about the administration’s handling of such cases.
Source: Original Reporting
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