What started as a horrifying attack in Colorado has now led to a completely different kind of tragedy—one unfolding quietly inside a Texas immigration detention center, where a mother and her five children are pleading not to be forgotten.
Hayam El Gamal, 43, was thrust into the spotlight not for something she did—but because of what her husband is accused of.
Now, weeks after her family’s arrest, she’s speaking out from behind bars, asking a heartbroken question: why are we being treated like criminals?
A Family Torn Apart After Colorado Attack
On June 3, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents detained El Gamal and her five children, just days after her husband, Mohamed Sabry Soliman, was accused of attacking a pro-Israel protest in Boulder, Colorado.
Prosecutors allege Soliman threw makeshift flamethrowers into a crowd, injuring at least 12 people, some as old as 88.
Soliman, 45, now faces 118 state charges, including attempted murder, along with a federal hate crime charge.
Officials believe he planned the attack for more than a year, driven by deep-seated animosity toward Israel and Zionists.
But Hayam El Gamal says she had no idea what her husband was planning—and now she and her children are paying a price she says they don’t deserve.
“We Did Nothing Wrong”
From the Dilley Family Detention Center in Texas, El Gamal released a powerful statement through her lawyer, immigration attorney Eric Lee.
In it, she said her family is “in total shock” over the allegations against her husband.
“So many lives were ruined that day,” she said. “There is never an excuse for hurting innocent people… but why punish me and my children?”
She explained that her family was abruptly picked up, flown across state lines, and locked up—despite never being accused of a crime.
Her oldest daughter just turned 18 inside the detention center.
Two of her younger children are about to have their birthdays there, too.
Living Conditions She Calls ‘Inhumane’
El Gamal painted a bleak picture of what daily life is like for her and her kids at the Dilley center.
She says they are constantly watched, often woken up in the middle of the night by guards, and served food “fit for animals.”
She also claims her youngest children witnessed officers rough up another detainee, which terrified them.
“They cried and cried, thinking they would be roughed up too,” she said.
“All they want is to be home, go to school, sleep in their own beds… and grieve,” she continued. “But instead, we are here in jail in Texas, where you can’t be human.”
A Life Once Filled With Hope in the U.S.
El Gamal and her family arrived in the United States in August 2022 on B1 visitor visas, which are typically used for short-term business stays.
They later filed for asylum, with Soliman listing Hayam and the children as dependents. He was granted work authorization in 2023.
The mother of five says she did everything right.
She learned English, volunteered, and tried to be a good neighbor—regardless of religion. “If your heart is good, that’s enough,” she said.
She shared that her eldest daughter dreams of becoming a doctor and holds a 4.5 GPA. “All I want is to give my children good lives,” she said, her voice filled with exhaustion.
Legal Fight Over Detention Status
Attorney Eric Lee is now pushing for the family’s release, arguing that they are being detained not for immigration violations, but simply because of their connection to Soliman.
Court documents reveal that the Department of Homeland Security was preparing to fast-track the family’s removal after the attack.
However, a federal judge blocked that plan with a temporary restraining order, warning that deporting them without due process could cause “irreparable harm.”
The order has since been extended by 14 more days while the case moves toward a hearing.
The Government’s Position and Questions Still Unanswered
While El Gamal has not been charged with any crime, DHS officials said they are still investigating whether any family members had prior knowledge of Soliman’s alleged plans.
So far, no evidence has surfaced to suggest they did.
Still, El Gamal remains detained, her children confined beside her.
Her Final Words: A Mother’s Cry for Help
As her statement drew to a close, El Gamal made an emotional plea:
“It has been two weeks in jail—how much longer will we be here for something we didn’t do? How much longer until the damage to my children is irreversible?”
Fighting back tears, she added, “I ask the American people, with all my heart, to please listen to our story and help us.”