A view of the wall of the South Texas Residential Facility entrance from the parking lot. A mother and her five children held at Dilley have been officially released after a turbulent week. The Washington Post/The Washington Post via Getty ImA mother and her five children long detained in a South Texas facility have been released from ICE custody after a turbulent week marked by repeated detentions and releases.In a post to X early Sunday, Hayam El Gamal's attorney Eric Lee said El Gamal and her five children, ages 5 to 18, had been officially released from ICE custody.Article continues below this ad"ICE just released the El Gamal family," Lee wrote. "What took place today can only be described as an extraordinary rendition. 5 kids/mom kidnapped by feds in violation of multiple court orders as punishment for crimes committed by someone else." ICE just released the El Gamal family.What took place today can only be described as an extraordinary rendition. 5 kids/mom kidnapped by feds in violation of multiple court orders as punishment for crimes committed by someone else.A dark moment in US history. Mobilize now.— Eric Lee (@EricLeeAtty) April 26, 2026 Lee referred to this week's series of events as "a dark moment in US history," urging Americans to "mobilize now."On Thursday, a federal district judge ordered the release of the El Gamal family, who had been detained at the Dilley detention center since June 2025, as reported by the Houston Chronicle. Article continues below this adTwo days later, after returning to Colorado, the family was detained again."The family arrived home in Colorado this morning," the El Gamal family attorneys posted in a statement to X on Saturday. "Hours later, ICE arrested them all and has put them on a plane headed for Detroit Willow Run Airport, and then outside the United States to an unknown location."Lee later said the family's deportation flight was turned around and returned to Denver after federal judges in Texas and Colorado ruled they should not be immediately deported after their re-arrest. The family's attorneys and several Texas lawmakers denounced the deportation attempt as unconstitutional, directing criticism at the Trump administration. Article continues below this ad The El Gamal's deportation flight has turned around and is returning to Denver. We are told the family will be released, but we don't trust a word they say. pic.twitter.com/dHmNMyKoyn— Eric Lee (@EricLeeAtty) April 25, 2026 U.S. Rep Greg Casar (D-Austin) referred to the incident as "outrageous" and said it undermined the rights of every single American in a post to X Saturday afternoon."A federal judge ordered the Trump Administration not to detain or remove the El Gamal family," Casar wrote. "ICE waited until the family had left Texas, then defied the judge's order. If they can ignore a court order to go after this family, anyone could be next."The controversy comes just a week after public calls for the family's release, sparked by allegations of inadequate medical care at Dilley—claims that the Department of Homeland Security has denied. DHS previously told Chron El Gamal and her children were the family of Mohammed Soliman, a man charged in connection with a Molotov cocktail attack in Boulder, Colo.Article continues below this ad This is outrageous and undermines the rights of every single American.A federal judge ordered the Trump Administration not to detain or remove the El Gamal family.ICE waited until the family had left Texas, then defied the judge's order.If they can ignore a court order to… https://t.co/H1I8kQwbEl— Congressman Greg Casar (@RepCasar) April 25, 2026 "We are investigating to what extent his family knew about this heinous attack, if they had knowledge of it, or if they provided support to it," a DHS spokesperson told Chron last week. "They will remain in custody pending removal proceedings. DHS enforces the law without fear or favor."When contacted by Chron for comment on Sunday, DHS Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis claimed the family received due process."Mohammed Soliman is a terrorist responsible for an anti-Semitic firebombing in Boulder. The family received full due process and was issued a final order of removal on December 29, 2025," Bis wrote. "They appealed the judge's decision. The board of appeals upheld the final order of removal on April 22, 2026. Despite receiving full due process, this activist judge appointed by Bill Clinton is releasing this terrorist's family onto American streets AGAIN."Article continues below this adBis said she is confident the courts will ultimately vindicate DHS."Under President Trump, DHS will continue to fight for the removal of those who have no right to be in our country—especially terrorists and their associates," Bis wrote.More NewsApril 26, 2026Trending ReporterMolly Wilhelm is a trending news reporter with Chron covering the Greater Houston area and beyond. A Maryland native, Molly is a graduate of The George Washington University. Previously, she covered public safety, city government and trending news for the Wilmington StarNews. When she's not in the newsroom, you can find her discovering new coffee shops, wandering through Memorial Park, or eating and dancing her way through Houston's food and music scene.