As a family navigates the distressing consequences of immigration detention, their story sheds light on the broader emotional torment many endure in such circumstances.
At a Glance
- The wife and five children of Mohamed Sabry Farag Soliman, the suspect in a Boulder, Colorado, attack, have been detained by ICE.
- The family is being held at the Dilley Immigration Processing Center in Texas, and a temporary restraining order is preventing their immediate deportation.
- Hayam El Gamal, Soliman’s wife, claims her family is being “punished for what my husband is accused of doing” and is being “treated like animals.”
- The family entered the U.S. on B2 visas and had applied for asylum before the attack.
- Soliman faces over 100 state charges and a federal hate crime charge for allegedly throwing Molotov cocktails.
A Family in Turmoil
Following the serious allegations against Mohamed Sabry Farag Soliman, who is accused of launching Molotov cocktails in Boulder, Colorado, his family has been thrust into a tumultuous ordeal with U.S. immigration authorities. His wife, Hayam El Gamal, and their five children are now being held in the Dilley Immigration Processing Center after being detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
As reported by CNN, the family has been in the United States for two years, a factor that complicates any expedited removal process. They currently have temporary protection from deportation due to a restraining order and a pending EB2 visa application.
A Harrowing Ordeal in Detention
The narrative goes beyond legal technicalities. In a statement to KDVR Fox 31 Denver, El Gamal recounted the harsh conditions they are enduring in detention, emphasizing her distress over her children’s well-being. “This includes my two four-year-old children, my seven-year-old, my fifteen-year-old, and my oldest daughter, who just turned eighteen, in jail,” she said. “We are grieving, and we are suffering. We are treated like animals by the officers, who told us we are being punished for what my husband is accused of doing.”
Despite the complexity of their legal case, the family maintains its focus on its personal contributions to the community before its detention. They had been active neighbors, volunteering and learning English to integrate into society.
The Broader Implications
In her statement, El Gamal also condemned her husband’s alleged actions and expressed solidarity with the victims. “My five children and I are in total shock over what they say my husband did,” she stated. “There is never an excuse for hurting innocent people. We have been cooperating with the authorities… We send our love to the many families who are suffering as a result of the attack.”
The struggle faced by El Gamal and her children highlights the critical issues embedded in the U.S. immigration detention system, urging reforms that align with humane values. As families like theirs continue to pay the emotional price of immigration law enforcement, the call for fairer policies reverberates through the corridors of justice and public opinion.
