Judge temporarily blocks deportation of family of man charged in Boulder terror attack

A federal judge in Colorado on Wednesday temporarily blocked the Trump administrationfrom deporting the wife and five children of the suspect in a fire-bomb attack on a demonstration to support the Israeli hostages in Gaza.

U.S. District Court Judge Gordon Gallagher said in an order that deporting the family without adequate process could cause "irreparable harm."

Lawyers representing the family of the Egyptian national charged in Sunday's attack, Mohamed Sabry Soliman, 45, sued the U.S. government on Wednesday, seeking to win the family members' release from custody and block their deportation, according to court documents.

The number of "identified victims" in the fiery attack has risen to 15, Boulder police said Wednesday.

The victims in what authorities are calling a targeted terror attack are 25 to 88 years old, eight female and seven male, police said in a social media post. They were injured when a man on Sunday tossed Molotov Cocktails at about 20 people marching to remember the captives still held by Hamas after the Oct. 7, 2023 border assault.

Soliman will appear before a Colorado judge Thursday to hear the raft of charges he could face. Those charges include 16 counts of attempted murder, 18 counts of possession of incendiary devices and related offenses, Boulder County District Attorney Michael Dougherty said. The attempted murder counts alone are punishable by up to 384 years in prison, he said.

He also faces a maximum sentence of life in prison if found guilty on a federal hate crime charge.

Soliman told investigators he wanted to "kill all Zionist people" and planned the attack for a year, according to court documents. He said he waited until after his daughter's high school graduation, which took place May 29. His timing may provide little solace for the family − his wife and children were taken into custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Tuesday and could beushered out of the country within days.

Suspect stayed in US after tourist visa expired

Soliman, a native of Egypt who lives in Colorado Springs, came to the U.S. on a tourist visa in 2022 and requested asylum, Homeland Security officials said. A work authorization granted in 2023 also expired. Now the visas of his wife and five children have been revoked, multiple media outlets including the New York Times reported.

"Today, DHS and ICE are taking the family of suspected Boulder, Colorado, terrorist, and illegal alien, Mohamed Soliman, into ICE custody," Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Tuesday in a post on X. "This terrorist will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. We are investigating to what extent his family knew about this heinous attack, if they had knowledge of it, or if they provided support to it."

White House had said deportation was underway

FBI and police officials said the family has cooperated with investigators, and Soliman said his family had no knowledge of his plans. That may not be enough to allow them to stay in the U.S.

The White House posted a message Tuesday detailing the family's likely fate: "Six One-Way Tickets for Mohamed’s Wife and Five Kids. Final Boarding Call Coming Soon." The post indicated the deportation could happen as soon as that night, but Wednesday's judicial order has granted the family a reprieve for now.

Vigil set for Wednesday night

A vigil honoring the victims of the attack was set for Wednesday evening.

"Healing begins with coming together in community," the Boulder Jewish Community Center said in a statement on its website. "Please join us for 'Coming Together: A Community Gathering.'" 

The statement adds that "safety and security are our top priority" and lists enhance security plans, including an increased police presence and "hired security professionals."

"Please remain vigilant and report suspicious activity," the statement adds. "If you see something, say something."

Organizers will 'reimagine' annual Jewish fest set for June 8

The 30th annual Boulder Jewish Festival will take place as schedule June 8 outside the historic courthouse on Pearl Street Mall near the site of the June 1 attack, organizers said. The Boulder Jewish Community Center and JEWISHcolorado issued a joint statement saying they are taking steps to "reimagine the event in a way that helps our community heal and feels grounded in the reality" of the attack June 1.

JEWISHcolorado has launched an emergency fund to support victims, improve community safety and provide additional security at Sunday’s event. Details are being finalized, the statement said. The statement noted that the attack targeted Run For Their Lives, a group with the primary focus of bringing awareness to the Israeli hostages still held in Gaza.

"In moments like these, our strength is in our unity," the groups said. "Thank you for standing together. We will continue to share updates and support one another."

Jewish people 'concerned about being publicly Jewish'

A man firebombed the home of Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro in April, hours after the governor and his family hosted more than two dozen people to celebrate the first night of Passover. Two weeks ago, a man shot and killed a young couple outside the Lillian & Albert Small Capital Jewish Museum in Washington. Then, on June 1, Boulder happened.

In all three cases, the suspects claimed allegiance to Palestinians as their motive. The attacks come after years of escalating rhetoric, protests and demonstrations against the ongoing war in Gaza.

“The Jewish community is used to having bulletproof glass and metal detectors at their institutions, but this was a public gathering,” Anti-Defamation League Senior Vice President Oren Segal told USA TODAY of the Boulder attack. ”The Jewish community is now concerned about being publicly Jewish.” Read more here.