The family of Mohamed Sabry Soliman is currently in the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after his arrest linked to a firebomb attack that injured 12 individuals at Boulder’s Pearl Street Mall on Sunday. This significant development was confirmed by U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in a post shared on X Tuesday afternoon.
In her statement, Noem emphasized the seriousness of the situation, stating, “Today the Department of Homeland Security and ICE are taking the family of suspected Boulder, Colorado terrorist, and illegal alien Soliman into ICE custody.” She assured the public that Soliman's "despicable actions" would face prosecution to the fullest extent of the law. Furthermore, Noem mentioned that authorities are investigating whether Soliman’s family had any prior knowledge of the attack or provided any support for it.
Federal and state authorities are actively continuing their investigations. Reports from Monday indicated that Soliman’s wife and children were cooperative during a search of their residence. Notably, Soliman’s wife voluntarily surrendered a mobile phone that he had left behind on the day of the attack, which contained messages directed to his family. Despite the circumstances, Soliman has claimed to police that his family had no involvement in his actions.
Mohamed Sabry Soliman is facing multiple serious charges, including attempted murder and assault, along with a federal hate crime charge. Legal experts suggest that more charges may be forthcoming as the investigation unfolds. Currently, he is being held at the Boulder County Jail with a bond set at an astonishing $10 million.
Bryce Downer, a local immigration attorney from Novo Legal Group, provided insights into Soliman’s immigration status. He noted that since Soliman applied for asylum within the necessary timeframe before his tourism visa expired, he might be considered “without status” but still legally present in the United States while awaiting a decision on his asylum application. “There are individuals for whom we have submitted applications for asylum over 10 years ago and we're still waiting for an interview date,” Downer explained, highlighting the complexities of immigration processes.
The immigration status of Soliman’s wife and children remains unclear. If they are detained, it is likely they will be transferred to a family detention center located southwest of San Antonio in Dilley, Texas. This facility had been closed under the Biden administration but has recently reopened under the administration of President Donald Trump.
