The Hayam El Gamal ICE Detention took a dramatic turn as 5 children and their mother were returned to Colorado. Learn about the 48-hour legal battle and the emergency court order that halted their immediate deportation.
On April 25, 2026, the legal and humanitarian battle surrounding Hayam El Gamal and her five children took a turn when federal authorities re-detained them just 48 hours after a court-ordered release.
This latest escalation follows ten months of detention at the Dilley Immigration Processing Center in Texas, where the family was held in connection to a high-profile domestic terrorism investigation involving El Gamal’s ex-husband, Mohammed Soliman.
The case stems from a fatal firebombing attack in Boulder, Colorado, targeting demonstrators supporting hostages taken during October 7, 2023. While Soliman was arrested and accused of the attack, FBI testimony has consistently indicated that his family had no prior knowledge of his plans. Despite this, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has aggressively pursued their removal, citing a statute that allows for the detention of a suspect’s associates, even as the family pursues legitimate asylum claims.
After arriving back in Colorado following their initial release, the family reported for a routine ICE check-in, only to be taken back into custody. They were quickly loaded onto a plane bound for Michigan and New Jersey for immediate deportation. In a rare “mid-air” legal intervention, a federal judge issued an emergency motion to stop the flight. The plane was forced to turn around and return to Colorado, where the family was released for the second time in three days.
Currently, the family remains in Colorado under ‘strict GPS monitoring.’ While the DHS continues to label the presiding judge an “activist” and vows to pursue deportation, the family’s legal team is fighting to protect their due process rights, arguing that the trauma inflicted upon the five children; including five-year-old twins; violates both legal standards and basic human rights.
