Family of Boulder Attack Suspect Petitions for Release from ICE Custody
Legal challenge filed after months of detention despite judge's release order
The family of Mohamed Soliman, accused of a deadly attack on protesters in Boulder, has filed a federal petition demanding their release from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody. Hayam El Gamal and her five children, ranging from four to eighteen years old, have been detained in a Texas immigration facility for over four months following Soliman's arrest. Their attorneys filed a writ of habeas corpus on October 7, 2025, challenging what they describe as unlawful detention.
According to court documents, Soliman allegedly attacked peaceful protesters on Boulder's Pearl Street using homemade incendiary devices, resulting in one fatality and multiple injuries. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reports that Soliman and his family had been seeking asylum from Egypt since 2022, though Soliman's work permit had expired in March 2025. Following the attack, his family was taken into ICE custody despite having no prior knowledge of his plans, according to FBI and DHS investigations.
KEY POINTS
- •Family files federal habeas petition
- •DHS blocked judge's release order
- •Family held despite no involvement
The legal situation has developed through several stages since the family's detention. Initially, DHS officials confirmed the family was being processed for expedited removal, but a federal judge blocked their deportation. In September, an immigration judge ordered the family released on bond after determining they posed neither a flight risk nor a danger to the community. However, DHS invoked an administrative regulation to override this decision, filing an "automatic stay" that has kept the family in detention.
The family's legal representatives argue that the continued detention serves no legitimate purpose and is effectively punitive toward individuals who were not involved in the alleged crime. They maintain that the FBI has confirmed the family had no prior knowledge of Soliman's plans and were not involved in the attack. The attorneys are calling for public support in demanding the family's release, stating they need space to recover from recent trauma. As of the report's publication, neither ICE nor DHS had publicly responded to the petition.