A federal judge on Thursday ordered the release from immigration custody of the family of a man charged in a fatal 2025 firebomb attack in Boulder, Colorado, against demonstrators supporting Israeli hostages in Gaza.
U.S. District Judge Fred Biery in San Antonio said Hayam El Gamal and her five children can be released from a family immigration detention center in Dilley, Texas, as long as El Gamal and her oldest child, who is 18, wear electronic monitoring. Biery denied the government's request to stay his ruling so it could appeal. One of the family's lawyers, Eric Lee, posted on X that they were released later in the day.
El Gamal was born in Saudi Arabia and is an Egyptian national. She and her family have been in immigration detention since June after her husband, Mohamed Sabry Soliman, was accused of throwing two Molotov cocktails at people demonstrating for awareness of Israeli hostages in Gaza. An 82-year-old woman who was injured in the attack later died. El Gamal has said she was shocked by the attack.
Soliman is an Egyptian national who federal authorities say was living in the U.S. illegally. He is being prosecuted in both state and federal court for the attack, which prosecutors say injured a total of 13 people. Investigators say he planned the attack for a year and was driven by a desire “to kill all Zionist people.” He has pleaded not guilty to state charges, including a murder charge, and federal hate crimes charges.
After the attack, the Trump administration claimed the family was being rushed out of the country. The White House said in social media posts that they “COULD BE DEPORTED AS EARLY AS TONIGHT” and that six one-way tickets had been purchased for them, with their “final boarding call coming soon.”
Biery decided to release the family even though an immigration appeals court had dismissed their case to stay and issued a deportation order for them. That came after a federal magistrate judge recommended on Monday that they should be released.
Lawyers for the family claim the deportation order was directed by the “political leadership” in Washington, which the government's lawyer, Anne Marie Cordova, denied. People who have final deportation orders are normally subject to mandatory detention.
In a statement, acting assistant Homeland Security Secretary Lauren Bis criticized Biery's ruling.
“Despite receiving full due process and a final order of removal, this activist judge appointed by Bill Clinton is releasing this terrorist’s family onto American streets,” Bis said.
Biery had barred the family from being deported until he could hold Thursday's hearing. One of the family's lawyers, Chris Godshall-Bennett, told Biery they will also ask the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans to stop the family from being deported while they seek asylum and permission to remain in the United States.
Another federal judge blocked their immediate removal after the attack. Since then, the family has tried several times to be released on bond and return to Colorado while their asylum application is considered.
The magistrate judge recommended this week that they be released after their attorneys argued they have not been treated fairly in immigration proceedings.
FILE -The ICE South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley, Texas, is seen, Aug. 23, 2019. (AP Photo/Eric Gay, File)
AVONDALE, La. (AP) — Matt Fitzpatrick, fresh off his RBC Heritage victory, teamed with younger brother Alex to shoot an 8-under 64 in better-ball play Thursday in the Zurich Classic, leaving the English duo six shots behind Alex Smalley and Hayden Springer.
Smalley and Springers matched the tournament record with a 58.
Shane Lowry and Brooks Koepka, who comprise the most accomplished team at the par-72 TPC Louisiana this week, shot a 66 to leave them outside the top 40 and in danger of missing the cut — unless they can make a strong push Friday in alternate-shot play.
The format returns to better ball Saturday, and back to alternate shot Sunday.
Davis Thompson and Austin Eckroat were a shot behind after a round in which they followed Eckroat's eagle on the par-5 seventh with eight straight birdies.
Three teams were tied for third at 60: Sam Stevens and Zach Bouchou, along with Eric Cole and Hank Lebioda, and Nick Dunlap and Gordon Sargent.
Billy Horschel — the only player to win the Zurich in both single-play and team formats — was again in the hunt when after he and Tom Hoge shot a 61 — highlighted by Hoge's eagle on No. 2 — to put them in a seven-way tie for sixth.
Aaron Rai and Sahith Theegala each made eagles — Rai by spinning in a 106-yard approach shot on the par-4 13th — and posted a 62.
Defending Zurich champs Ben Griffin and Andrew Novak shot a bogey-free 65 and will need to move up some to make the cut.
Smalley, who has never won on the PGA Tour, made a 19-foot eagle put on the par-5 second hold after sinking a 16 1/2-footer to bridie No. 1. His tee shot on No. 3 landed within 7 feet to set up another birdie to put his team at 4 under.
The pair of 29-year-old Americans then combined to birdie 10 of their final 14 holes. Springer, also seeking a maiden tour triumph, accounted for the final four birdies, highlighted by his 36-foot putt on the par-3 17th.
A large gallery gathered at the first hole to watch the Fitzpatricks tee off in the same group with Lowry and Koepka on a sunny, breezy, 80-degree afternoon.
Koepka — in his first season back on the PGA Tour after four years with LIV Golf — entered the week needing a good showing to earn his first exemption for a signature event, the next of which takes place next week at Trump National Doral in Miami.
Lowry carried their team early, with birdies on five of the first eight holes. Koepka finally pitched in with a 31 1/2-foot birdie putt on 10, but the pair did not better that par the rest of the way.
The Fitzpatricks, playing together a fourth straight year in New Orleans, got to 9-under with Matt Fitzpatrick's three straight bridies on the 15th through 17th holes. But then both hit their second shots in the water on the par-5 18th and closed with a bogey.
AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf
Shane Lowry, left, of Ireland, talks with Brooks Koepka after teeing off on the first hole during the first round of the PGA Zurich Classic golf tournament, Thursday, April 23, 2026, in Avondale, La. (AP Photo/Matthew Hinton)
Matt Fitzpatrick, of England, tees off on the first hole during the first round of the PGA Zurich Classic golf tournament, Thursday, April 23, 2026, in Avondale, La. (AP Photo/Matthew Hinton)
Brooks Koepka and Matt Fitzpatrick, of England, talk before teeing off on the first hole during the first round of the PGA Zurich Classic golf tournament, Thursday, April 23, 2026, in Avondale, La. (AP Photo/Matthew Hinton)
