Family of Boulder Terror Suspect Detained by DHS, White House Says Deportation Pending
The Biden administration confirmed Tuesday that family members of the suspected terrorist behind last week’s horrific Boulder, Colorado attack have been taken into custody by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), with deportation proceedings now reportedly underway.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated during a press briefing that “immigration enforcement actions are being pursued” against relatives of Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa, the Syrian-born suspect accused of launching a brutal flamethrower attack on pedestrians outside a crowded shopping district in Boulder. The attack left seven injured and reignited concerns over immigration policy failures and growing domestic security risks.
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
The 24-year-old suspect had already been on the FBI’s radar, and questions are mounting as to how someone with apparent extremist ties was allowed to remain in the United States after a prior criminal record and multiple warning signs. While the administration claims it is now “acting swiftly,” critics argue this is too little, too late.
According to Breitbart News, multiple family members have been detained and are being processed for removal under federal immigration law. While specific identities and legal statuses have not yet been disclosed, the government confirmed these individuals are connected to the suspect and are not U.S. citizens.
The administration appears to be reacting to escalating political pressure from critics on both sides of the aisle, particularly after revelations that Alissa was a beneficiary of the U.S. refugee program. Conservative lawmakers and national security analysts have seized on the incident as a devastating example of what they call “America Last” immigration policies that put foreign nationals ahead of public safety.
“The White House is scrambling for cover,” said a senior DHS source who requested anonymity. “They’ve known for years that lax vetting processes are a liability, and now that liability has exploded in a Colorado shopping center.”
The Biden administration has faced increasing criticism over its handling of immigration and border security, with more than 8 million encounters at the southern border since January 2021. This latest incident has only intensified scrutiny from Americans who feel that the government is prioritizing political correctness over the protection of citizens.
Sources close to the investigation say the suspect was radicalized online and had communicated with individuals overseas with known ties to extremist ideologies. Despite this, he was allowed to roam freely, even after a previous arrest for assault in 2021, which did not trigger any immigration enforcement action.
This case is now seen as a possible inflection point in the national debate over immigration and homeland security. Conservative lawmakers in Congress have already introduced new legislation aimed at tightening refugee admission standards, increasing FBI oversight of visa holders, and streamlining deportation procedures for non-citizen relatives of terror suspects.
“The American people deserve better than this,” said Rep. Tom Tiffany (R-WI), who has been vocal about ending chain migration and tightening refugee policies. “We should not be importing threats to our national security. It’s time to put American safety first.”
Meanwhile, mainstream media outlets have downplayed the attacker’s background and ignored key facts about how he entered and remained in the U.S., prompting accusations of deliberate censorship and narrative manipulation. Outlets like CNN and The Washington Post have referred to the attacker simply as a “Colorado man,” omitting any mention of his Syrian refugee background or prior FBI interest.
This selective reporting has further widened the credibility gap between corporate media and the general public, especially among conservative Americans who feel they’re not getting the full truth from legacy outlets.
At the heart of the controversy is not just a single act of terror, but a broader national failure. Critics say the federal government failed to vet individuals properly, failed to act on red flags, and now, in the wake of a preventable attack, is scrambling to contain the political fallout.
According to The Guardian’s live coverage, local law enforcement had expressed concern about Alissa’s behavior for months, but federal authorities appeared slow to act. Now, DHS is attempting to salvage credibility by detaining his family—a move some see as overdue accountability, while others see it as a PR maneuver.
For many Americans, particularly those living in communities overwhelmed by unvetted migration and rising crime, this incident is yet another reason to demand change. The call for a national immigration overhaul—rooted in law, order, and a priority on American safety—is growing louder.
With deportation proceedings now reportedly in motion, many are watching to see whether this administration will follow through—or simply sweep another national security embarrassment under the rug.
