Full Breakdown
Judge Halts Immediate Deportation of Egyptian Family After ICE Re-Arrest
4/26/2026, 1:28:30 AM
Core Event and Timeline
On April 25 2026, Judge Fred Biery ordered the release of Hayam El Gamal and her five children from the Dilley Family Residential Center. Hours later ICE re-arrested the family at a checkpoint and prepared a flight to Egypt. Later that evening Biery granted an emergency motion blocking the deportation pending further review.
Background
Hayam El Gamal and her children entered the U.S. on tourist visas in August 2022 and later sought asylum after her husband, Mohamed Sabry Soliman, was arrested in June 2025 for allegedly throwing Molotov cocktails at a rally in Boulder, Colorado. The attack injured dozens and killed one; Soliman faces over 100 federal charges. The family spent about ten months in the Dilley detention center, reporting poor food, unmet religious dietary needs, and denial of basic medical care. The six-person household includes children aged 5, 9, 16, 18 and a fifth minor.
Legal and Political Stakes
The re-arrest raises separation-of-powers concerns, as ICE appears to defy a federal court order. It also illustrates the clash between national-security rhetoric—exemplified by former President Donald Trump’s calls for “one-way tickets” for the family—and the procedural safeguards for asylum seekers linked to a relative accused of terrorism.
Official Statements & Responses
DHS spokesperson Lauren Bis said the department will “continue to fight for the removal of those who have no right to be in our country,” and asserted the family received “full due process.” Secretary Kristi Noem described the family as “rightfully in ICE custody for removal” and said an investigation into knowledge of the Boulder attack would proceed. ICE declined comment.
Criticism & Opposition
The family’s lawyers call the re-arrest a “kidnapping” that violates a federal court order, citing an ER visit for a “lump in her chest.” They allege Dilley denied ultrasounds and dental treatment. Children’s letters describing poor food and lack of halal meals have been sent to Congress.
Verbatim Quotes
- “This is a very live situation – an absolutely brazen violation of separation of powers,” — Eric Lee, attorney for Hayam El Gamal
- “Stop this travesty of justice from taking place,” — Eric Lee, X post
- “We have been here for nine months. I really miss playing with my toys and my watch,” — 9-year-old child
- “children should not be in jail.” — Christopher Godshall-Bennett, attorney for Habiba Soliman
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources differ on the Boulder attack’s casualty count: Texas Tribune reports 29 injuries, NBC cites at least 14. DHS says the family received “full due process,” while attorneys describe “highly irregular actions” and denied medical care. The specific court order ICE allegedly violated has not been disclosed.
What’s Next
Emergency motions are pending before the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, and a writ of habeas corpus has been filed in the District of Colorado. Until a final ruling, the family remains under electronic monitoring and ICE check-ins. Advocacy groups plan to press Congress for stricter oversight of family detention.
