A federal judge has issued a temporary restraining order halting the deportation of the family of Mohamed Soliman, an Egyptian national suspected in the Boulder firebombing attack. The ruling, issued by a Biden administration-appointed judge in Colorado, temporarily prevents immigration authorities from removing Solman’s wife, Hayem El Gamal, and their five children from the U.S., pending a June 13 hearing. The decision was prompted by an emergency petition from the family’s friend, who argued the family faces imminent deportation without a chance to present their asylum case in court.
The judge ruled that the family’s deportation would cause ‘irreparable harm,’ and the order remains in effect until the scheduled hearing. The ruling has sparked political debate, particularly as Republican lawmakers have criticized the administration’s immigration policies, citing the Boulder attack as a consequence of lax enforcement. Meanwhile, officials confirmed that the suspect’s family has been taken into federal custody, and investigations are ongoing to determine whether they had any involvement in the attack.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has publicly addressed the detention and potential deportation of El Gamal and her five children. In a social media video, Noem confirmed that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) had taken the family into custody. ‘Mohamed’s despicable actions will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, but we’re also investigating to what extent his family knew about this horrific attack,’ Noem stated in the post. ‘If they had any knowledge of it or if they provided any support to it.’
The Boulder attack triggered a political firestorm in Washington and Colorado, as Republican lawmakers have slammed it as a result of failed immigration enforcement through sanctuary policies and poor management during the Biden administration. Rep. Gabe Evans, R-Colo., stated in the aftermath of the attack, ‘This is a direct result of failed sanctuary states like Colorado and California. For the sake of our state, Democrats MUST stop putting illegals ahead of Americans. There are lives on the line.’
Meanwhile, Gov. Jared Polis’ office clarified that they were never aware of any threat from the suspect. ‘The reality is that Colorado is not a sanctuary state and state, federal and local law enforcement work together closely to apprehend criminals, whether they are from this country or not,’ a spokesperson for Polis’ office told Fox News Digital, adding that the governor ‘expects to see the suspect prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.’
‘There were no requests from federal law enforcement agencies regarding this individual, and if there had been then the state would have eagerly cooperated. Reports indicate that this person’s legal presence ended in March, nearly three months ago, and we are not aware of any attempt by any federal agency to deport him,’ the spokesperson added.
In addition, some Democrats in Colorado also faced scrutiny for attending a fundraiser with Rep. Ilhan Omar in nearby Denver roughly 30 minutes after the attack, as she’s had a past history of anti-Semitic remarks and intense criticism of Israel.