Hayam El Gamal And Five Children Re-Arrested After Release From Dilley Immigration Detention

A United States federal court blocked the Trump administration from deporting Hayam El Gamal and her five children after they were released from immigration detention, but the family was re-arrested shortly afterward, according to Al Jazeera.

“A United States federal court has blocked the administration of United States President Donald Trump from deporting a woman and her five children following their release from immigration detention”

Al Jazeera

Al Jazeera said El Gamal and her children “had been held for 10 months prior to their release earlier this week following a judge’s order,” and that the family had been detained for “the longest of any known family during Trump’s second term in office.”

Al Jazeera

The outlet reported that “just days after returning to their home in Colorado, immigration authorities again detained the family on Saturday and sought to swiftly deport them,” citing the family’s lawyer.

In a statement shared by lawyer Eric Lee, the family’s attorneys said, “The Trump administration has kidnapped the El Gamal family in violation of a federal court order from the Western District of Texas, which ordered them Thursday not to detain or remove the family from the United States,” and added, “The attempt to remove the El Gamal family is in violation of a federal court order and must be halted immediately.”

Al Jazeera also quoted Lee saying US District Judge Fred Biery, who ordered the family’s initial release on Thursday, had granted an emergency order on Saturday barring their removal.

The reporting placed the family’s detention in the context of a violent attack in Boulder, Colorado, in June 2025, when El Gamal’s former husband, Mohamed Sabry Soliman, attacked people gathered in support of Israeli captives held by Hamas.

Al Jazeera said an 82-year-old woman later died from injuries sustained during the incident, and that an FBI agent testified under oath that there was “no evidence” the family was aware of the father’s plan.

Multiple outlets described how the El Gamal family’s detention ended after more than 10 months at a Texas facility, with the release occurring hours after a judge’s order.

The San Antonio Current said the family was released from Dilley’s South Texas Immigration Processing Center after 10 months, and that they were freed Thursday evening after a judge ordered their “immediate release” that morning.

CBS News

The Guardian likewise said Hayam El Gamal and her five children were released on Thursday hours after a judge’s order, with US district judge Fred Biery ordering the release, and described the detention as “more than 10 months” and “the longest family detention under Donald Trump’s second administration.”

NBC News reported that the family was held “for nearly 10 months” in Dilley, Texas, and said they were released Thursday afternoon several hours after Biery ordered their release.

NBC News quoted family attorney Eric Lee saying, “They have been released,” and described the attorneys driving out of Dilley without stopping for media.

The Guardian said El Gamal and Habiba Soliman, 18, would have to wear ankle monitors, and NBC News similarly said the oldest child would have to wear ankle monitors while Lee said “they’ll be home.”

Latin Times said the family was held at the South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley, Texas, and quoted Lee: “They are free,” while also noting that El Gamal and her 18-year-old child must wear electronic monitoring.

The reporting emphasized the family’s medical situation and the legal arguments over why they were held and what conditions applied after release.

The San Antonio Current said Hayam El Gamal was seeking medical treatment she had been denied while detained, and it quoted attorney Eric Lee telling NBC, “That’s the first thing we are doing is we are getting her medical attention.”

It described that El Gamal asked prison officials for medical help after discovering “a painful lump in her breast,” and that after excruciating pain for weeks she was rushed to the hospital in March where “a buildup of fluid was discovered around her heart.”

The Guardian said Lee reported El Gamal was taken this month to an off-site emergency room after she “began experiencing excruciating pain” and that she received a CT scan which showed she had “fluid around the heart.”

NBC News added that Lee said several physicians asked by Lee to independently review El Gamal’s medical records recommended she receive further testing for cancer, autoimmune disease and cardiac issues and raised concerns over her medical condition.

NBC News also said the legal team alleged the children were suffering from depression, and the Guardian stated, “The legal team said all five of her children were suffering from depression.”

Latin Times said the family’s asylum/deportation proceedings were still ongoing and that the government opposed the release.

The case produced sharply different statements from government officials, family lawyers, and lawmakers, with each side framing the detention and release in distinct terms.

NBC News reported that Christopher Godshall-Bennett, who represented Habiba Soliman, said after the ruling that “children should not be in jail,” and he added, “It’s really heartening there’s still a sliver of justice,” while saying they came “so close” to getting out several times.

Latin Times

NBC News also quoted a DHS spokesperson saying, “the judge wants to release this terrorist’s family onto American streets,” and added that “Under President Trump, DHS will continue to fight for the removal of those who have no right to be in our country, especially national security threats.”

Al Jazeera quoted family lawyers describing the administration’s actions as violating court orders, including the statement that “The attempt to remove the El Gamal family is in violation of a federal court order and must be halted immediately.”

Al Jazeera also included a warning from US Senator Dick Durbin, who said, “If, despite the judge’s recommendation, the Department of Homeland Security still objects to the release of an innocent woman and her five children, we know exactly why that is the case,” and added, “It is not because they present any danger to the community or a flight risk.”

Latin Times quoted Durbin on social media saying, “After facing months of inhumane conditions in ICE family detention, a judge ordered ICE to release Hayam El Gamal and her five children. I'm relieved they are free,” and also said, “But too many families are still suffering from the MAGA mass deportation operation.”

The Guardian reported that DHS criticized the ruling, saying it came from an “activist judge” and describing the release as “releasing this terrorist’s family onto American streets.”

The sources also diverged in how they described the broader political and legal stakes, including how the Trump administration attempted deportation and how DHS characterized the family.

Al Jazeera said the White House posted on X that it would seek to “immediately expel the family,” quoting the post: “Six One-Way Tickets for Mohamed’s Wife and Five Kids. Final Boarding Call Coming Soon,” and it described the family’s lawyers saying they were applying for asylum after coming to the US on tourist visas from Egypt.

NBC News

NBC News said the administration tried to immediately deport the family after Soliman was arrested, and it quoted the White House posting about “six one-way tickets for ‘Mohamed’s Wife and Five Kids. Final Boarding Call Coming Soon.’”

NBC News also said a federal judge stopped the deportation, saying El Gamal and her children could not be immediately deported because they had been in the country more than two years.

The Guardian added that Soliman was arrested over the attack on a gathering commemorating Israeli hostages held by Hamas militants in Gaza after the 7 October 2023 attack, and it said El Gamal divorced Soliman after his arrest and condemned the attack.

In contrast, the family’s legal team told NBC and other outlets that they had no advance knowledge of Soliman’s plans and that the family was detained unlawfully, while the government said federal agents were investigating “to what extent” the family knew about the attack.

Al Jazeera’s account of re-detention after release underscored the immediate stakes, saying immigration authorities again detained the family on Saturday and sought to swiftly deport them despite the emergency order barring removal.