Judge orders ICE to release family of suspected Boulder terror attacker
Apr 20, 2026
DENVER, Colo. A Texas-based immigration judge has ordered the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to release the detained family of the man accused of carrying out the Boulder terror attack last year.U.S. District Judge F
red Biery on Wednesday approved the release of Hayam El Gamal, the wife of suspected attacker Mohammed Soliman, and the couples five children, as long as they appear at future immigration hearings.A followup hearing is set for Thursday in a San Antonio courtroom to determine whether both sides will accept the order.The family has been detained for more than 10 months at an immigration detention center in Texas, after an ICE raid at the familys Colorado Springs home a day after the June 1, 2025, fatal firebombing attack in Boulder.The family was detained for 'expedited removal,' per the White House, but court petitions have delayed the process.In a statement to Scripps News Denver, the familys attorney, Eric Lee, argued that ICEs continued detention violates the Constitution. A federal court has determined ICEs prolonged detention of this family violates the Constitution.Nevertheless, ICE has not yet released the family, he said, urging the agency to act immediately.Meanwhile, Scripps News Denver has reached out to ICE officials and is awaiting a reply.Federal authorities say Soliman, 46, an Egyptian national, has been living illegally in the U.S. with his family. He faces murder, attempted murder, and 12 federal hate crime charges in the Boulder attack, which killed one and injured seven on the Pearl Street Mall.Investigators allege Soliman, disguised as a gardener, threw Molotov cocktails at a group peacefully demonstrating for the release of Israeli hostages. Authorities say he confessed to the attack in custody.As court proceedings continue, Soliman remains in custody at the Boulder County Jail._______Watch KOAA News5 on your time, anytime with our free streaming app available for your Roku, FireTV, AppleTV and Android TV. Just search KOAA News5, download and start watching.
...read more
read less