In a swift and high-profile response to a chilling act of domestic terrorism, federal authorities have detained the wife and five children of Mohamed Sabry Soliman—the Egyptian national who firebombed pro-Israel demonstrators in Boulder, Colorado. The move marks a dramatic escalation in the government's handling of foreign nationals linked to terror activity within U.S. borders.
Soliman, who entered the United States legally in August 2022 but overstayed his visa under the Biden administration, unleashed a brutal attack using Molotov cocktails and a makeshift flamethrower, reportedly shouting “Free Palestine!” and “End Zionist” as flames erupted across a peaceful crowd. Twelve individuals were hospitalized with severe burns and injuries.
Today, @DHSgov and @ICEGov are taking the family of suspected Boulder, Colorado terrorist, and illegal alien, Mohamed Soliman, into ICE custody.
This terrorist will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. We are investigating to what extent his family knew about this… pic.twitter.com/fcjMiyWil7
— Secretary Kristi Noem (@Sec_Noem) June 3, 2025
Following the attack, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed that Soliman’s immediate family members had been taken into custody by ICE and are now being processed for expedited deportation. The decision to detain the entire family, including five children, underscores the gravity with which the federal government is treating the incident and its possible connections. “We are investigating to what extent his family knew about this heinous attack,” Noem stated in a video post, vowing that Soliman “will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
According to DHS sources cited by Fox News and the New York Post, the family's visas have been revoked, and they are being held at an immigration detention facility in southern Texas. Officials are now working to determine whether the relatives had any foreknowledge of Soliman’s plan or offered him material support.
Soliman’s legal jeopardy is severe. He faces 16 counts of attempted first-degree murder, along with charges related to assault and the possession of incendiary weapons. In addition, federal prosecutors have filed a hate crime charge related to perceived race, religion, or national origin. If convicted on all counts and sentenced consecutively, Soliman could face up to 624 years behind bars. He remains in custody on a $10 million bond, with his next court appearance set for June 5.
In light of yesterday’s horrific attack, all terrorists, their family members, and terrorist sympathizers here on a visa should know that under the Trump Administration we will find you, revoke your visa, and deport you.
— Secretary Marco Rubio (@SecRubio) June 2, 2025
The Biden administration has faced sharp criticism over its immigration oversight, particularly regarding foreign nationals who overstay their visas and later exploit legal loopholes. Soliman was allowed to remain in the U.S. even after his visa expired in early 2023, receiving work authorization while a separate claim was under review by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
Soliman’s case has rapidly become a flashpoint in America’s broader debate over immigration enforcement, visa integrity, and domestic security. The decisive response—especially from ICE and DHS—suggests a strategic shift under the returning Trump administration, aimed at cutting off not just individual threats, but potential support networks. As Senator Marco Rubio emphasized in a post the day before the arrests, “all terrorists, their family members, and terrorist sympathizers… should know that under the Trump Administration we will find you, revoke your visa, and deport you.”