Family of suspect in Colorado fire attack taken into custody of US immigration

The family of Mohamed Sabry Soliman, who is accused of using a flamethrower to attack a rally in Colorado, has been detained by US immigration authorities, as confirmed by the Department of Homeland Security on Tuesday. During the incident in Boulder, twelve people were injured when Soliman allegedly used incendiary devices to target individuals demonstrating for the release of hostages in Gaza. The FBI has classified the attack as an “act of terrorism”. Soliman, who was born in Egypt, entered the US on an expired tourist visa in 2022, eventually applying for asylum and receiving work authorization that later expired.

The Trump administration has used Soliman’s immigration status to support its deportation agenda, with Donald Trump attributing the attack to Joe Biden’s immigration policies. Kristi Noem, the Homeland Security secretary, announced that Soliman’s wife and children are under custody, while federal officials are investigating if they were aware of his plans. Despite Soliman claiming he acted alone, the administration is moving forward with deportation proceedings for his family.

Republicans have politicized the attack in the aftermath, with some blaming Democrats for the incident. Soliman reportedly planned the attack for over a year, intending to use a gun initially but was unable to purchase one as a non-US citizen. He now faces multiple state and federal charges, including attempted murder and a hate crime charge.