On June 3, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detained the family of Mohamed Sabry Soliman, the man charged in the antisemitic firebombing on Pearl Street that injured 12 people.
Federal prosecutors say Soliman threw two Molotov cocktails into a peaceful gathering for the release of Israeli hostages. The June 1 attack, now being prosecuted as a hate crime, left several participants with serious burns.
Soliman entered the United States in August 2022 on a tourist visa and applied for asylum the following month, according to the Associated Press. He later obtained a work visa that expired in March 2025. His wife and five children, who have reportedly cooperated with police, were taken into ICE custody on Tuesday. Their immigration status has not been publicly disclosed.
U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed the detention in a statement on X, saying authorities are investigating whether any family members had prior knowledge of the attack or were involved in any way.
Legal experts note that individuals who apply for asylum before their visas expire may remain in the country legally while their cases are pending. Immigration attorney Bryce Downer of Novo Legal Group told CPR that some asylum applications can take over a decade to process.
Visa overstays remain one of the most common ways people become undocumented in the U.S. In 2023, about 1.5% of foreign visitors — roughly 550,000 people — remained beyond the terms of their visas, according to the Department of Homeland Security. More than 40% of undocumented immigrants entered legally but overstayed. Historically, they have not been prioritized for enforcement unless charged with a crime or already in custody, according to the New York Times.
The day after the attack, former President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social, blaming President Biden’s border policies and calling for stricter immigration enforcement. He claimed Soliman should be deported under his own policy framework.
Government data shows that visa overstay rates were slightly higher during Trump’s first term, with annual totals between 620,000 and 700,000. The 2023 figures, when Soliman’s visa expired, marked the lowest rate in recent years.
