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NewsThe GuardianMay 2, 2026United States

El Gamal family returns to Colorado after ICE detention dispute

The El Gamal family, an Egyptian mother and her five children, have returned to their Colorado home following a series of arrests and releases by ICE. Their attorney alleges the government violated a federal judge's order by re-arresting the family shortly after their initial release from a Texas detention center.

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Why It Matters

The case highlights a conflict between federal immigration enforcement actions and federal court orders regarding the detention and deportation of a family residing in Colorado.

Key Facts

  • Hayam El Gamal and her five children returned to their Colorado home on April 29.
  • The family was initially released from the South Texas Family Residential Center on April 23 following a federal judge's order.
  • ICE re-arrested the family on April 25, shortly after they arrived in Colorado.
  • A Colorado federal judge issued an order to stop the deportation of the family while they were on a plane to Michigan.
  • The family was released from ICE custody on the same day the Colorado judge intervened.
  • The family was originally arrested in June following federal hate crime charges against the children's father, Mohammed Soliman.
  • DHS officials stated the family was detained due to their alleged status as 'associates' to the father's actions.
  • The family's attorney reported that Hayam El Gamal experienced unresolved health issues while in detention, including a chest growth.
  • The family's appeal against their deportation order was previously unsuccessful.

Who's Mentioned

personLauren Bis“DHS spokesperson.”personHayam El Gamal“Egyptian mother and primary subject of the detention dispute.”personEric Lee“Attorney representing the El Gamal family.”organizationDHS“Department of Homeland Security.”personMohammed Soliman“Estranged husband of Hayam El Gamal, charged with federal hate crimes.”locationSouth Texas Family Residential Center“ICE detention facility in Dilley, Texas.”personDick Durbin“Democratic Senator who commented on the family's release.”organizationICE“Immigration and Customs Enforcement.”locationColorado“Home state of the El Gamal family.”