A federal judge in Colorado, appointed by former President Joe Biden, issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) to halt the deportation of Mohamed Soliman's wife and five children, an Egyptian citizen under federal investigation for an arson attack in Boulder. The order was issued by Judge Gordon P. Gallagher and will remain in effect until the court hearing scheduled for June 13.
The decision was prompted by an emergency request filed by Susanna Dvortsin, a friend of Soliman's wife, Hayem El Gamal. Dvortsin argued that the family faced imminent deportation without having the opportunity to present their case before a court. Judge Gallagher agreed, stating that deportation without due process would cause "irreparable harm."
According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), El Gamal and her children had overstayed the legal period of their visas. The family, originally from Kuwait, arrived in the United States in August 2022 with permits valid until February 2023.
However, Soliman filed an asylum application one month after his arrival, including his wife and children as dependents. In addition, he obtained a work authorization in March 2023, which expired this past March. His asylum case is still pending.
The detention of El Gamal and her children by ICE took place on Tuesday, and caused a strong response from Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem. In a video posted on social media, Noem confirmed the detention and stated that authorities are investigating whether the family had knowledge of Soliman's plan or provided him with support.
Soliman, 45 years old, faces federal charges of hate crimes and 16 counts of attempted first-degree murder. He is accused of attacking a peaceful march in support of Israeli hostages in Gaza, in what authorities described as an antisemitic attack that left twelve people injured.
