President Donald Trump on Monday blamed the Biden administration’s immigration policies for a violent attack that left at least eight people injured during a pro-Israel demonstration in Boulder, Colorado.
The incident, now under federal investigation as a possible act of terror, prompted Trump to post a pointed response on his Truth Social platform. Citing a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) official who confirmed that the suspect had overstayed his visa and was residing in the U.S. illegally, Trump condemned what he called the “Open Border Policy” of President Joe Biden.
“He came in through Biden’s ridiculous Open Border Policy, which has hurt our Country so badly. He must go out under ‘TRUMP’ Policy,” Trump wrote. “Acts of Terrorism will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the Law. This is yet another example of why we must keep our Borders SECURE, and deport Illegal, Anti-American Radicals from our Homeland.”
Suspect Identified and in Custody
Federal and local law enforcement have identified the suspect as Mohamed Sabry Soliman, a 45-year-old resident of Colorado Springs. Soliman was arrested at the scene and is currently in federal custody. According to an FBI affidavit, he has been charged with a federal hate crime.
Authorities say Soliman admitted during interviews that he had been planning the attack for nearly a year and told investigators he wanted “to kill all Zionist people and wished they were all dead.”
“He wanted them all to die. He had no regrets and he would go back and do it again,” said J. Bishop Grewell, acting U.S. attorney for the District of Colorado, during a press conference on Monday.
Grewell emphasized the hate crime aspect, stating, “No one should ever be subjected to violence of any kind. But our laws recognize that such violence is particularly pernicious when somebody is targeted because of their race, their religion, or their national origin.”
Immigration Background Draws Criticism
The DHS confirmed that Soliman entered the United States on a B2 non-immigrant visa in August 2022. He filed for asylum a month later and was legally authorized to remain until February 2023. After that date, he was in the U.S. unlawfully.
Usually, the B2 visa is granted for brief visits, such as for vacation or medical care.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt criticized the system that allowed Soliman to remain in the country past his authorized stay.
“This individual, this terrorist, was allowed into this country by the previous administration, was foolishly given a tourism visa, and then was illegally allowed to stay,” Leavitt said. “These individuals are going to be deported, and we’re not going to tolerate such violence in our country.”
What Happened in Boulder
The attack took place during a weekly pro-Israel event in downtown Boulder. Eyewitness videos showed a shirtless man—later identified as Soliman—holding what appeared to be two Molotov cocktails while shouting “Free Palestine!” at a group supporting Israeli hostages held in Gaza.
Israeli flags were seen scattered on the ground after the incident, which the Anti-Defamation League described as an attack on a “weekly meeting of Jewish community members to run/walk in support of the hostages kidnapped.”
One of the organizers had promoted the gathering as a “weekly humanitarian walk.”
Federal Investigation Underway
Federal officials are treating the attack as an ideologically motivated act of terror. FBI Director Kash Patel and Deputy Director Dan Bongino confirmed the investigation on X (formerly Twitter).
“This act of terror is being investigated as an act of ideologically motivated violence based on the early information, the evidence, and witness accounts,” Bongino posted. “We will speak clearly on these incidents when the facts warrant it.”
The FBI is receiving assistance from the National Counterterrorism Center, according to Tulsi Gabbard, director of national intelligence.
Broader Context
The Boulder attack follows a fatal shooting of two Israeli embassy staffers outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C., just over a week ago. That incident also raised concerns about violence linked to tensions surrounding the Israel-Hamas conflict.
As the Boulder investigation continues, the case is fueling renewed debate over U.S. immigration enforcement, visa overstays, and ideological violence.
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