Detained Teenager in Texas Issues Heartfelt Plea for Justice After Eight Months in ICE Facility

USA - Ekhbary News Agency

Detained Teenager in Texas Issues Heartfelt Plea for Justice After Eight Months in ICE Facility

The life of an Egyptian immigrant family in the United States has transformed into a nightmare of prolonged detention and uncertainty, culminating in a desperate plea for freedom articulated in a moving letter by one of the daughters. Detained for eight months at the South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley, the teenager, who turned 18 while in custody, denounces the systematic violations of judicial directives and the inhumane conditions profoundly affecting her younger siblings and their own dreams.

The Soliman family's ordeal began on June 3, 2025, when Mohamed Soliman, the father, was implicated in an attack on a pro-Israel demonstration in Boulder, Colorado, using a Molotov cocktail and an improvised flamethrower. The incident left at least 12 people injured. While the father's actions are condemnable, Soliman's wife and their five children – aged between 4 and 17 at the time – were detained just days later and sent to the detention center in South Texas. The family, who had resided in the U.S. since 2022, had an asylum application pending, raising serious questions about the legality and ethics of their prolonged detention.

The situation is particularly dire for the minors, as judicial guidelines stipulate a maximum period of 20 days for the detention of immigrant children. However, Soliman's children, including the letter's author, have remained at the center for eight months, far exceeding the legal limit. A recent survey by Folha revealed that between January and October 2025 alone, at least 675 minors experienced violations of this maximum period, highlighting a worrying pattern and a systemic failure in protecting the rights of immigrant children and adolescents.

In her letter, the eldest daughter, whose name has not been released, questions the logic and justice of her situation: "Why is this happening to us? Why would all our efforts to achieve our dreams be in vain? Why would the government insist on detaining us without proof? Why is it taking so long for the truth to come out?" These inquiries reflect the anguish and confusion of a young woman who has seen her life and that of her family turned upside down by circumstances that, she argues, should not result in their indefinite detention.

The family's hope has been repeatedly dashed. After a bail hearing on January 21, the request was denied for "ridiculous reasons," as the young woman describes. Previously, on September 12, bail had been granted, but the decision was dragged out and eventually reversed. The letter's author recounts the despair that followed the bail denial, culminating in her separation from her family two days later, an event she describes as the final shattering of everything they had left. "I will never forget the look of fear and helplessness on my mother's face as she watched me being taken away and could do nothing to stop it," she writes, underscoring the trauma of family separation imposed by authorities.

Conditions at the detention center are described as "bad," with rules that prioritize staff needs over residents. The teenager asserts that the "long lists of harsh rules are taking away children's childhoods," leading to delays in their development, education, and growth. She also denounces the lack of transparency and accountability from supervisors, who allegedly "cover up for each other," disregarding complaints and grievances, even with evidence and witnesses. "Visiting this place is not enough, I encourage anyone who thinks this place is good to come live here as a resident for just one month, not eight, and then they will feel what I am talking about," the young woman challenges, exposing the disparity between external perception and the harsh internal reality.

The teenager's plea is clear: "Children and adults are under great pressure, detention has to stop before something bad happens. We need everyone to speak out and say that detaining families for indefinitely long periods should be illegal." The pain of seeing others released while her siblings cry, unable to understand why they are imprisoned, is a recurring theme in her letter. The approaching Ramadan, which she and her family would have to spend in detention and possibly separated, adds a layer of despair to their situation.

Despite everything, the young woman maintains remarkable faith in the justice system, asking that the evidence of their innocence be considered and that the truth prevail. She also expresses solidarity with the victims of her father's attack, deeply regretting what happened and wishing she could have prevented the act. Her letter is a poignant testimony to human resilience in the face of adversity and a cry for compassion and adherence to the legal and humanitarian principles that should govern the detention of families, especially those with children.

Ekhbary News Agency