Texas Judge Halts Deportation of Boulder Attack Suspect’s Family, Sparking Legal Debate

U.S. District Judge Orlando L. Garcia, serving in the Western District of Texas, issued a temporary restraining order preventing the Trump administration from deporting Hayem El Gamal and her five children, the wife and dependents of Mohamed Sabry Soliman, an Egyptian national accused of an antisemitic firebombing attack in Boulder, Colorado. The TRO was issued to prevent “irreparable harm” to the family, who were detained at the Dilley Immigration Processing Center in Texas and faced expedited removal. Garcia’s ruling emphasized due process, noting that El Gamal and her children, ages 4 to 18, have not been charged in connection with the attack. The TRO was extended by a Texas federal judge, with further hearings pending.

Notable Cases

Judge Orlando L. Garcia, appointed by President Bill Clinton in 1994 and serving as chief judge from 2016 to 2022, has presided over several high-profile cases in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas:

• De Leon et al. v. Perry (2014): Garcia struck down Texas’ ban on same-sex marriage, ruling it unconstitutional under the Equal Protection Clause. He found for plaintiffs seeking to marry or have out-of-state same-sex marriages recognized in Texas. The decision was stayed pending appeal, and the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2015 Obergefell v. Hodges ruling later affirmed same-sex marriage rights nationwide.

• Sanctuary Cities Law Injunction (2017): Garcia blocked key provisions of Texas’ Senate Bill 4, which required local law enforcement to comply with federal immigration detainer requests and prohibited policies limiting immigration enforcement. His injunction limited officers’ actions after determining a person’s undocumented status, allowing only reporting to federal authorities. The ruling was appealed to the Fifth Circuit.

• Patent Case Redistribution (2022): As chief judge, Garcia issued a docket-stripping order to address the overwhelming patent caseload of Judge Alan Albright in the Waco division. The order randomized patent case assignments across the Western District, reducing Albright’s influence and making litigation less predictable for patent plaintiffs, particularly non-practicing entities. This earned Garcia recognition in Managing Intellectual Property’s 50 Most Influential People in IP for 2022.

Judicial Background

Born in Jim Wells County, Texas, in 1952, Garcia earned a B.A. from the University of Texas at Austin in 1975 and a J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law in 1978. He practiced law in San Antonio from 1978 to 1990, served in the Texas House of Representatives from 1983 to 1991, and was a judge on the Texas Fourth Court of Appeals from 1991 to 1992. Nominated by President Clinton in 1993, Garcia was confirmed in 1994 with a unanimous “Qualified” rating from the American Bar Association