Colorado terror suspect’s family faces deportation

The United States plans to deport the wife and five children of Mohamed Soliman, who faces federal hate crime charges for an anti-Semitic flamethrower attack in Boulder, Colo.  Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, took the family into custody for expedited removal, the White House said on Tuesday. The Trump administration said the family could be deported as early as that night. However, as of Wednesday morning, it had not given an update on whether it carried out deportation.

Egyptian-born Soliman was in the country illegally, according to Homeland Security spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin. He entered the country in August 2022 on a B2 visa typically used for tourism or other short-term visits. He filed for asylum, but his visa expired in February 2023, McLaughlin said.

His family was under investigation for possible links to the terror attack Soliman allegedly carried out on Sunday, according to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. It wasn’t immediately clear whether Soliman’s family was also in the country illegally.

What happened in the Boulder attack? Soliman allegedly used a flamethrower and other incendiary devices to burn 12 people who gathered at an outdoor mall to raise awareness about Israeli hostages in Gaza. The suspect reportedly yelled “Free Palestine” while carrying out the attack. Two victims remained hospitalized as of Monday.

Dig deeper: Read Lauren Canterberry’s report on the attack for more details.