A Colorado court sentenced Mohamed Sabry Soliman, 46, an Egyptian citizen, to life in prison for throwing gasoline bombs at a pro‑Israel rally last year in Boulder, Colorado. Photo credit: news.sky.com
Last June, immigration officials detained an Egyptian mother and her five children and held them for nearly a year in a notorious Texas detention facility known for poor conditions — the longest detention of any family since the center reopened last year under President Trump. To expel a family to Egypt for a crime they did not commit makes a mockery of democracy.
This week, a Colorado court sentenced Mohamed Sabry Soliman, 46, an Egyptian citizen, to life in prison for throwing gasoline bombs at a pro‑Israel rally last year, killing one person and injuring a dozen others in Boulder, Colorado. Soliman apologized in court and condemned his own actions as contrary to “the teachings of Islam” in a statement before sentencing. He expressed sorrow for the death of the 80‑year‑old woman who succumbed to injuries sustained in the firebombing. “There are no words that can express my sadness for her passing,” Soliman said through an Arabic interpreter, according to the Associated Press.
Soliman came to the U.S. with his family from Kuwait in 2022 after living there for 17 years. The family entered the U.S. on a short‑term visa and applied for asylum (source: The Independent, May 7, 2026).
However, soon after the attack, immigration officials detained his wife and their five children — all of whom have disavowed Soliman and have not been accused of any wrongdoing. His wife, Hayam El‑Gamal, divorced him after the attack. To expel her and her children to Egypt for a crime they did not commit is cruel, unjust, and a violation of democratic principles.
Asylum Claims
The family had pending asylum applications at the time of their detention after overstaying their B‑1 visas. Police confirmed that the family cooperated fully with investigators and had no involvement in the attack. It is important to note that filing an asylum claim does not grant full legal status in the United States. However, it does provide a period of authorized stay, protects applicants from unlawful presence penalties, and allows them to work legally.
Family Details
The five children of Mohamed Soliman range in age from 5 to 18. Their ages are documented as 18, 16, 9, and 5‑year‑old twins. The oldest daughter, Habiba Soliman, is an honor student who graduated from high school in Colorado Springs. The youngest two are twin 4‑year‑olds at the time of detention.
Children of Mohamed Soliman; Child, Age, Notes
Habiba Soliman, 18, High school graduate, honor student, Second oldest, 16, Detained at South Texas facility
Third child, 9, Detained at South Texas facility,
Twin 1 and 2, 5, Four‑year‑old at time of detention.
Family Detention Details
The children were taken into custody after their father’s attack on June 1, 2025. A federal judge ordered the family released on bond in April 2026. However, federal agents rearrested them two days later at an immigration check‑in and attempted to rapidly deport them.
The family’s attorneys filed emergency appeals, and the deportation flight was forced to turn around mid‑air after leaving the country, according to the family’s attorney. The family has since been returned to Colorado. Last week, they filed another emergency appeal.
No Guilt by Association
“No guilt by association” means you are not held responsible for the actions or beliefs of others simply because you are connected to them. You are judged based on your own behavior — not on who you know. In U.S. law, “guilty by association” is not a valid basis for criminal or civil liability. Direct involvement or intent is required.
Yet one cannot escape the impression that the judge in this case acted beyond his proper role, making policy decisions disguised as legal rulings or issuing decisions influenced by personal bias rather than sound legal reasoning.
Attorney Eric Lee, who represents the family, told The Independent:
“It is farcical that the United States calls itself a democracy when the federal government deliberately ruins childhoods and strips young people of their innocence.”
Conclusion
At this juncture, expelling the Soliman family to Egypt makes a mockery of our democracy. As a Muslim and as an American, I will continue to speak my mind — a freedom guaranteed under the U.S. Constitution — even when my views are unpopular. But I will never support the use of violence against those I disagree with; it is counterproductive and morally wrong.
As my late mother (may God bless her soul) told me when I left for America 50 years ago: “Don’t spit into the plate that feeds you.”
Mahmoud El‑Yousseph is a Palestinian freelance writer and retired U.S. Air Force veteran. He writes on U.S. foreign policy, Middle East affairs, and justice. Email: elyousseph6@yahoo.com