Egyptian Family Detained Again Hours After Release from 10-Month Immigration Custody

An Egyptian family of six was taken back into U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody just days after being released from a Texas detention center where they had been held for nearly 10 months, according to their attorney and multiple news reports.

The family, led by Hayam El Gamal and her five children, was released on Thursday, April 23, 2026, following a court order by U.S. District Judge Fred Biery of the Western District of Texas. Their release came after what attorneys and news outlets described as the longest family detention period under the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement policies.

However, on Saturday, April 25, 2026, ICE agents detained the family again while they were aboard a private jet in Denver, allegedly en route to Egypt. Attorney Eric Lee stated the re-detention was due to an alleged court order violation, though the specific nature of the violation was not disclosed by authorities at the time.

“This is a particularly live situation – an absolutely brazen violation of separation of powers,” Lee said in a statement reported by The Guardian. He added that the family’s legal team filed an emergency motion to block the deportation, which Judge Biery subsequently granted.

The family’s initial detention began in June 2025 after El Gamal’s then-husband, Mohamed Sabry Soliman, was arrested in connection with a firebombing attack in Colorado that injured more than a dozen people and resulted in the death of an 82-year-old woman. Soliman faces attempted murder and federal hate crime charges related to the incident.

During their 10-month stay at the Dilley Immigration Processing Center in Texas, the El Gamal family became the subject of national attention due to the length of their detention. NBC News reported that they were held longer than any other family under the current administration’s mass deportation agenda.

Upon their release, El Gamal and her eldest daughter, Habiba Soliman, 18, were required to wear ankle monitors as a condition of their freedom. Attorney Lee emphasized that securing medical care for Hayam El Gamal was the family’s immediate priority following their release.

The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the re-detention.

Key Takeaways

• The El Gamal family was detained for nearly 10 months at the Dilley detention center in Texas, the longest known family detention under the Trump administration.
• They were released on April 23, 2026, after a federal judge ordered their freedom.
• ICE re-detained the family just two days later in Denver, citing an alleged court order violation.
• The family’s attorney denounced the re-detention as a violation of judicial authority and filed an emergency motion, which was granted by the same judge who ordered their initial release.
• The case stems from the 2025 arrest of Hayam El Gamal’s ex-husband, who is charged in connection with a fatal firebombing in Colorado.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why was the El Gamal family initially detained?

The family was detained in June 2025 after federal authorities linked Hayam El Gamal’s then-husband, Mohamed Sabry Soliman, to a firebombing attack at a pro-Gaza hostage awareness event in Colorado. Soliman is facing attempted murder and federal hate crime charges.

How long were they held in detention?

Hayam El Gamal and her five children were held at the Dilley Immigration Processing Center for nearly 10 months, a duration described by news outlets and legal advocates as the longest family detention during the Trump administration.

What happened after they were released?

The family was released on April 23, 2026, under a court order requiring ankle monitors for Hayam El Gamal and her eldest daughter. They were re-detained by ICE in Denver on April 25, 2026, while reportedly en route to Egypt.

Has the family been released again since their re-detention?

Yes. Following an emergency motion filed by their attorneys, U.S. District Judge Fred Biery granted a request to block the family’s deportation, halting further removal proceedings as of the latest reports.